Sly 5: Ancestral Revenge
by GradGirl2010
Summary: Le Paradox did more damage than the Cooper Gang realized. Now with Sly trapped in the past, the sole surviving Cooper finds himself at the mercy of his oldest nightmare. Unable to rescue him on their own, Bentley and Murray must recruit an old friend in order to get him back to the present. Because something told Bentley they were going up the family tree in order to get home.
1. Message From Beyond

**Sly 5**

**Ancestral Revenge**

**Le Paradox did more damage than the Cooper Gang realized. Now with Sly trapped in the past, the sole surviving Cooper finds himself at the mercy of his oldest nightmare. Unable to rescue him on their own, Bentley and Murray must recruit an old friend in order to get him back to the present. Because something told Bentley they were going up the family tree in order to get home.**

**()**

**Message from Beyond**

**This is my first Sly fic. If you don't like it, DON'T READ OR COMMENT! That's all I'm saying!**

**Also, a few of you may recall I posted this some thousands of years ago. Well now I'm reposting. Why? Cause I beat Sly 4 today and was inspired to repost.**

**()**

**Bentley POV –**

_Six months…that's how long it's been since Sly disappeared. It felt more like six years. Often times I found myself journeying back to the sight of Sly's disappearance. I wasn't alone. Carmelita and Murray walk by there every now and again as well. And each time grew more and more painful._

_We were all hoping, one day, that crafty raccoon would pop out of nowhere and make some jocular comment like, "Hey pal! Did ya miss me?" Or, "You look green, Bentley. Do you need a Doctor?" Those desires…were nothing more than hopeless fantasies now. __Bentley's head dropped to the ground. A lone tear splashed on his lap.__ That six months soon became a year. I still have yet to TRULY give up. But my mind was screaming for me to throw in the towel. My heart refused._

_Carmelita would bust into the Interpol maximum security prison; demanding Le Paradox tell her how to find Sly. How to fix the time machine! Not only did the skunk refuse to help, he stated he had no idea where Sly could have wound up. The time machine he used was on –in laymen's terms – shuffle. Sly could have ended up in the far future or distant past. And there was no way to get him back._

_I know I said I get discouraged but never give up…I think it's time I change my slogan. All of my genius…all of my tech…even the DNA modification I used on Sly's binocucom so he could find Salim – nothing worked. __Bentley swatted his hand, crashing his equipment to the ground.__ Nothing brought me any closer to finding Sly. Hell! Who was to say…to say…the Cooper was even…__Bentley clapped his hands to his face, crying heavily in despair.__ My best friend…he's gone. Sly's gone…SLLLYYYYYYY!_

**()**

As Bentley turned off the lights to his lab for the final time, his computer screen flicked on, beeping in alert as he had received a message. Answering the call, Bentley was surprised to see he had received a video message from an old friend. A friend he, Sly, and Murray met after a job they pulled in Istanbul many years back. Opening the message, a young female Snow Leopard with sky blue skin fur appeared on the monitor. Her bright magenta eyes filled Bentley with such elation he had to take a puff of his inhaler to calm down. It's been a while since he had seen such a friendly face. It was nice to see friends reappearing.

Eager to hear what the Lady Leopard had to say, Bentley quickly clicked on play and listened intently. "_Hi, Bentley_." The leopard waved. "_It's Alauna. It's been quite a while, hasn't it_?" She giggled nervously. Her voice went hoarse a few times. Obviously she had been planning out what she's been wanting to say. "_I'm glad you kept your old email. I was worried you'd changed that mishap with Tsao stealing your computer._" She reminisced, fiddling with her long black hair. Bentley religiously sent Alauna detailed chronicles of The Cooper Gang's travels. Who they met, who they fought, what they stole. The latest caper involving the Cooper Vault must have engrossed her. She always was the Cooper Gang's biggest fan. "_Listen, I would love to sit down with a bag of popcorn and play nostalgia, but I have something you really need to see._" Bentley was intrigued by the level of urgency in her tone. "_Attached to this message is a photo from the Egyptian pyramids I've been giving a lecture on. I translated the text...sort of._" A wide smirked graced her feline face."_I think you'll find it interesting. I did._" She winked. "_Give me a shout when you're ready for a round the world trip." _The video ended.

**()**

**Bentley POV**

_It was nice to hear from Alauna. During a job Sly, Murray, and I pulled in Istanbul, we rescued and met Alauna, becoming close friends. But because of her 'Occupations' it made it hard for her to travel with us for too long a period of time. Thankfully we've been able to keep in touch with her. I always enticed her with juicy bits of our capers. She ate them up like Murray does ice cream._

_As I opened the attachments Alauna mentioned, I was intrigued to find a rocky stone slab as her subject of interest. On the slab was…poorly written – perhaps the worst I've seen – ancient hieroglyphics. Whoever wrote these should have been devoured by scarabs. Somehow Alauna managed to translate them. I need to make her a medal._

Stuck…in…Egypt.

Sly…in…common…of…second.

Need help.

-Cooper

_At first I thought nothing of it. But when I saw a familiar – raccoon shaped – calling card attached next to the message, I stopped. __Bentley's glasses slide halfway down his face. His hands froze, hovering over his keyboard in petrified shock.__ I almost fell out of my chair, and my shell. The entire world around me seemed to stop. I…I couldn't believe it. This wasn't – in the vernacular – ANCIENT hieroglyphics! It was Sly's cheap handwriting! But…how? How did Alauna get ahold of this? How was Sly able to reach out like that? Unless…__Bentley studied the message closer. He saw what was intended to be said.__ I gathered my things, super charged my chair, IPad, and soda hat, and I raced off for Murray and the Parisian Interpol office!_

**That's all for now. I know it's short, but be patient with me. I'm not waiting another year or two for a fifth game.**


	2. Alauna Lea Pard

**Alauna Lea Pard**

**Linguistic Bounty Hunter**

**You people work fast. Alright. Moving on.**

**(*)**

_Knocking on screen.__ Hello? Hellooo...Oh there you are. Sorry. Must be my...__breathes on screen, wipes away smudges.__ There you go. Much better. Can you hear me alright? You can? Good. Let's get the introductions out of the way._

_Hi. My name is Alauna. Alauna Lea (Lay-Uh) Pard. I'm what you call a Bounty Hunter. No not the Bounty Hunter who tracks down those skipping on a court date. I mean an actual Bounty Hunter. One who takes jobs of the highest bidder and completes them without fail. Of course my preference is to take my marks alive rather than dead. Do not misunderstand. I am not squeamish. There is just a heftier sum if my employers have full access to administer their version of justice. Hee-Hee. So naturally…I'm kind of wanted by Interpol. Something about causing international incidents, almost starting world war three. I dunno. All I know is that Inspector Fox hates me more than she hates Sly. And trust me, that's saying something. Perhaps she's jealous. I know she still has feelings for Sly. But Sly and I always held a stronger bond. We are criminals. More than that...we became brother and sister._

_I live in beautiful Cambridge, England, living out my days as a Linguist, and a part time tutor for those intrigued by languages. What? I need a day time profession. Lest my location and cover be blown. And trust me, though Interpol is out to get me, they aren't going to jeopardize the lives of those I've influenced to capture me. Least of all when Carmelita has made me her number 2 priority._

_**(8)**_

_Beep-Beep. _Alerted a laptop on a pure wood desk. A blue hand flipped the computer open. The reflection of Alauna stared into the sleeping screen. When a picture emerged, Alauna's lips spread in a warm smile. An E-Video from Bentley arrived. Wasting no time she opened it.

A frantic Bentley toyed obsessively with the camera on his computer. Alauna couldn't help smirking, only to have it fade by the deep sadness in his spectacled eyes.

"_Hey...All-Allie. Nice to, uh, see you again. Well not really see you, but hear from you-DOH!_" He face palmed his idiocy. Alauna giggled under a hand. _He's so cute. _"_Anyway. As you guessed, I received your message. I also included a link for my new email address. I didn't realize I've kept the same email for six years._" Alauna rolled her eyes. For all his brilliance, Bentley did, often, overlook the small contingencies. "_Not that I doubt your linguistic skills, Alauna. They rival that of my technological genius. But are you sure - ABSOLUTELY SURE - you translated it correctly. Not that I should doubt the impossible...but...you know._" Alauna's heart tore slightly hearing the sadness waver in his voice. A lone tear trickled to his knee. "_Sorry I..._" Sobs were beginning to break through. "_Gotta go._"

Alauna immediately began to compose a reply. Not an email. An E-Video. "Bentley...I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

_**(8)**_

_Since I was 10 – when I could get away from my studies – grandpa and grandma would take time to teach me the basics of fighting, and the importance of patience, strategy, and timing. Patience yields results, Timing brings victory, but neither is possible without Strategy._

_For eight years I trained under them, honing my skills in weapon wielding and hand to hand combat. Undercover training, the art of bluffing and subterfuge, and of course evading arrest. Stealth obstacles were challenging, but the acrobatics that came with it were a synch. Eventually – without the formality of the pageantry – I graduated in my Grandparents eyes and was ready to choose my occupation. I chose Bounty hunter. Why? It was the only thing my grandparents hadn't picked. Ha-Ha._

_That same day, my grandfather bestowed to me his Pyrovolvers. Revolvers which fired a focused and condensed bullet of pure heat. More damaging than a shock pistol, but can overheat easily. Luckily, my grandma was a legendary gunslinger. She taught me the basics, but I wound up making up techniques of my own. But I couldn't keep just the guns. I needed a weapon in case they become unavailable. With the help of a Japanese friend of mine – Natsumi Hirotomi – I constructed a shoto blade and katana. Thank you grandpa for being a lover of swords. With his help, I was a force to be reckoned with when wielding these bad boys. The sheath was a mahogany staff. The hilts of both my swords were smooth staff ends. When sheathed it will appear that I wear a Bo staff. But be careful, because I can cut you in half before you blink._

_I trained vigorously for two years with those weapons. On the job was the best sort of training. Yes I've gotten caught and yes I've broken out. The only way to become Elite is to have one or ten failures in your repertoire. My repertoire – and job as a linguist of course - landed me in Istanbul and pairing me up with Sly and his friends. After that, for the last five years, we've joined up and taken on jobs. They were fun to work with._

_How old would Sly be right now? I'm, what, 26. Sly's...28. Wow. I've known him, Bentley, Murray, and that wretch Carmelita for six years. I swear it was longer than that. I plan to make it seven._

_After I heard about Sly and the whole Cooper vault ordeal, I sort of kept to myself. As did Bentley and the rest of the gang they accumulated. We thought Sly deserved to settle down with the woman of his dreams. Even if he was lying through his teeth. Oh well. Who hasn't lied to the person they loved?_

_I bet you're wondering how I became mixed up with the Cooper Gang. Well that's easy. I met Sly and his Gang during one of my jobs in Istanbul. Coincidentally, the Cooper Gang was drawn there as well. I was lured to a museum of Turkish History by the rumor of a Curator collecting and selling priceless artifacts to the highest bidder. The Bounty for catching him in the act – Photos and recon – was 5,000 liras. Learning of his contacts in the process, an extra 10,000 liras. Of course I took the job._

_I should mention, as an Elite Bounty Hunter, I only take jobs of the highest quality. B to S rank only. Hey, even I have standards. Like Sly only stealing from other thieves, I only go after Bounties of the highest bidder and rank. The only catch is the higher the rank, the more law enforcement I run across. I may be a 'legitimate' law enforcer – as in I'm held in the same regard as a police officer or military solider – but I'm still a wanted criminal. I've stolen, committed murder, and even taken candy from babies. I've built quite the reputation. So taking jobs that involve me coming across Interpol or local police only help to increase my notoriety. And makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside._

_I find jobs like any other Bounty Hunter would. Well…old fashioned bounty hunters anyway. The New Age of touch screens and hackers – creating a website will only make things easy for the police. So I utilize local hotspots. Taverns, school yards, court houses…What? I need to know the laws of the land before I move. Helps keep the charges against me lowered. I'm probably at…10 life sentences at least. Plus they have faces on the walls. I love faces. Let's me know who to look for. Then I just approach, offer my services to the client, and let things play out. Of course I've been double crossed. But I make sure to cover my tail before my…dramatic exits._

_Before I had a chance to drop in on my Art Monger, a rogue potato soared passed my head. I glared out to the horizon, only to see a…pink hippo firing a potato gun. Another potato came at me and I cut it in half. THAT HIPPO WAS AIMING AT ME! Taking my Pyrovolver, I shot that house made weapon into scrap! I didn't realize until I heard something break that the hippo was distracting me. A raccoon with a cane broke the lock on the skylight window and was descending in. I was hoodwinked. Luckily I always get my vengeance._

_Just before the Raccoon could get halfway to the floor, I tugged on his harness to get his attention. I threatened to cut the wire. He pleaded for me not to. That he needed to get the art on the list he had. Apparently he was after the stolen art too. Of course he had no intention of giving it back to the museum. But I wasn't hired to care about some old pictures and vases. I was hired to find a connection._

_At the end of the night, Sly and I ended up killing two birds with one stone. Not only did Sly get to keep his originals, I managed to link the curator up with the Black Market Merchants and the forgers who planned on replacing everything. It was a good night, and I treated the Raccoon and his friends to a night on the town._

_I don't have a long family history like Sly. My ancestors and parents weren't bounty hunters, thieves, or anything like that. At least...I'm not sure. I don't exactly care much for genealogy. Well, my grandfather was a mercenary. So, technically speaking, he was the one who encouraged me towards my nightly occupation. He also taught me how to fight, with and without weapons. I've been told I take after him. But that's only because of my fighting style. But personality wise, I've been told I resemble my parents. Courtesy of my day job._

_My parents were respectable people. Loving, caring, warm, and able to light up any room they walked into. My father was an Irish Archaeologist. My Mother was a British Anthropologist. Though their jobs seemed tedious to me, I enjoyed the fact that their work got me free trips around the world. Monaco, Prague, Alaska, even Egypt – I went everywhere. And everywhere I went, I discovered I had a fascination with languages and the characters that made up those languages. So, after graduating college, I earned a degree and job as a Linguist. I worked for the same Museum as my parents. The Museum of Latent Cultures. Our job was to discover the mysteries of a country's history – through the language, bones, and sites discovered – And uncover what a country may have lost centuries ago. It was fun…but didn't fill my other itch._

_While I was intrigued with languages, I had that impulsive inner destructive side that needed to be filled. This was courtesy of my grandfather. He always told me about how his mother, father, and grandmother were soldiers of their own caliber. Mercenary, rogue soldier – great grandmother, and vigilante – grandmother. All of whom fought for their own reasons. To right a wrong police could not, participate in war but under their own orders, and to ensure soldier deaths were covered up. My parents took no interest in their business. But I did. I loved the thought of being able to work around the law. The Bronx of England needed a night hunter roaming the streets anyway._

_I may seem over the top. But then again, so is Sly. We've managed to run into one another during our capers. And of course, Sly and I had to see which of us improved the most since our last encounter. __Sighs sadly.__ When I first met the raccoon…I don't know...we connected. Spiritually of course. I may not have lost my family in a gruesome manner, but I was still alone in this world. Because of my nightly profession, my parents and I grew distant. I no longer know where they are. Quite frankly I don't care. My only friends were those I met along the way. My best friends were the Cooper gang. The last six years I've known them and joined them on jobs, I wouldn't change them for the world. But I would change what transpired all of 12 months ago. I would throw in my Bounty Hunter service card if I could change that. Not that I have one. All I want is my sparring buddy back. I only hope that, once we figure out what's going on in Egypt, we'll be able to do that again. We'll spar, we'll laugh, and we'll fill the voids our parents left. We'll help each other forget the horrors our jobs have wrought. That I'll meet up with Bentley, Murray, and Sly and we'll be able to cause trouble for Interpol and local authorities._

_My parents vanished without a trace. I won't let Sly do the same._

**))X((**

Bentley sat at his desk, drumming his little fingers on the keyboard of his computer. He just listened to the message Alauna sent, and honestly, he still couldn't believe. His heart couldn't believe. So his mind searched for evidence to rejuvenate his hopes.

Grizz - Littering the Ice Age with his horrible art to dig up in the future and become a multibillionaire.

Le Paradox - Establishing a fake lineage in the past, and managing to take over the world of the present.

Recent time traveling proved all the more what Alauna discovered was real. So why wouldn't Bentley accept it? Because he didn't want to be hurt. Again. What is it Sly would say to him? "How do you know if you don't try?" Or something witty like, "Sitting on your shell won't solve anything."

Bentley slammed a fist on the desk, knocking over a cup of coffee. That settled it. He grabbed a phone and dialed a number.

"Hey, Murray. Where are you?" Murray answered while the distinctive sounds of a fist breaking a nose in the background made Bentley cringe. "Spain? Good. Have the Van ready. I'll be there by tomorrow!...You'll see pal." He admired a photo of him, Sly, and Murray. "You'll see."

**))x((**

_I was in Egypt for an assignment given to me by my boss. An Egyptian Historian and his College Professor Friend needed Hieroglyphics translated for a seminar they were going to conduct for a national Embassy. Apparently a number of countries around the world were interested in what Egypt had to offer. So was I. I love Egyptian history._

_Accompanied by Archaeologist Ham Star, and his crackerjack team of excavators, I was brought into the buried ruins of an aged old tomb said to be the torture chamber ancient Pharaohs used to interrogate their prisoners. My job was to find any and all hieroglyphics and document them for further study. Of course the excavation team would be helping me._

_As the minutes turned to hours, I found myself immersed within Egypt's history. The dark secrets this chamber held; Queen Mary's purge of the Protestants seemed more like a harmless fox hunt compared to what was written on these walls. I was so engrossed in the timeline etched on one of the walls that I didn't realize I meandered into a spectator's booth. Turning on my flashlight, I studied the room. There were stone carved benches near a large window. It peered into a vast, open room. They were rusted and worn, but I was able to make out whips, spike studded sticks, something that bore a horrific resemblance to the Pear of Agony. Aged, blackened spots of blood were still on those walls. It was awful. I was overwhelmed to the point I actually sat where heartless – or desperate – generals sat. I had to turn my back. I couldn't look at it. That's when I saw it. It was the strangest thing I've ever seen._

_In the spectator's booth, there was a corner of the back wall that left untouched. The rest of the wall was written with dates and the names of the unfortunate. But this one space was voided. Like someone left it like that purposefully. Then out of nowhere, words started to etch themselves into the stone. I rubbed my eyes and poured water on my face. Ensuring I wasn't going insane. Surprisingly I wasn't. Words, in the worst hieroglyphic characters I've ever seen, were writing themselves out right in front of me. I searched the room for some sort of explanation, but there was nothing. If the Ghost Adventures crew was there, they would be having a field day. Not to mention being paid big._

_I quickly took a picture of the Glyphs. I should have videoed it. But just as swiftly – though slightly languid – as the glyphs appeared…they vanished. A giant hole was left in the wall. There was rubble in front of it. Like someone just broke the wall. Only in my case it just vanished into thin air._

'_WHAT'S GOING ON?' I screamed aloud. 'Were the ghosts of ancient Egypt trying to tell me something?' I don't know. All I knew was that I needed to analyze what I just photographed and get it back to someone. _

**))X((**

_I returned to a bunker the team and I were utilizing as our base of operations with my pictures and a couple of pieces from the wall that I saw break in thin air. I hid myself in my trailer, hoping for some quiet. Though blasting my multi genre music isn't exactly quiet, it did help me focus. I found Katyusha, Simple and Clean, and Gungam Style very relaxing to work under. No. I do not have a preference of music._

_After I finished translating the message, I noticed an odd symbol at the end. A familiarly odd symbol. A raccoon face. Wait? RACCOON?! I read the message over again, making sure I had it right. __Alauna smiled elatedly.__ I did. I didn't know how, but I just translated a message written in Sly's drunkard handwriting. 'How was this possible?' I wondered. 'How was Sly in Ancient Egypt?' The last time I heard, about…a year and a half ago? Sly was living it up with Carmelita, pretending to have amnesia. How was he sending random messages from Ancient Egypt? And how long have I truly been out of the loop with their troublemaking? A year little over a year obviously. NOT THE POINT! Bentley needed to see this! I needed answers! I needed to know…what happened to my caper buddy?_

_After six years you'd think I'd be used to the Cooper Gang getting in and out of stranger mishaps. NOT!_

**Short but sweet. Next chapter already posted**


	3. Time for a Field Trip

**Time**

**for**

**A Field Trip**

**Leave some reviews, guys. Let me know what you think. Anything I need to correct or think I should make different. Alright. Here's another chapter.**

**(8)**

Rusted chains dragging along the graveling ground. The glow of torches startling the slumbering spiders on their webs. Coarse traces of sand shaving grayish brown fur, sawing underlying skin. Small traces of blood left a trail. Heavy, pounding footsteps trudging across the sand grinding floor. A body shuffling over rubble, exhausted and broken moans grumbling from a parched throat. Two muscular Alligators dressed in Egyptian Attire had a prisoner by the arms, dragging him roughly on his knees. His clothing was torn and ripped into rags, blood soaking his fur.

"This one's lasted longer than the others." Guard one remarked scornfully.

"He'll break sooner or later." Guard two assured his friend. "The Pharaoh's new Vizier has a nasty temper." He chuckled. "Those crab claws of hers will rip the stubbornness right from him. If not," The Alligators lugged the half dead man into a room, "That barely beating heart is sure to be served on a platter."

**(*)**

**Bentley POV**

_Along the way to get Murray, I suddenly ran into Inspector Fox apprehending a suspect. As per her style – recently more boorish – Inspector Fox apprehended the suspect with a swift shock and kick to the aye-chi-wah-wah spots. At first I was apprehensive to invite her along. Ever since Sly disappeared, she…hasn't been herself. __Carmelita pounds her fist into a suspect's face, demanding they talk.__ She became more violent than usual. Something I didn't think possible. But I couldn't blame her. She loved Sly just as much as he loved her. They parted without really apologizing. Although the message was clear in the end. And I think it hit Carmelita harder because she was the one who pushed him away. She couldn't see past the hurt; the lie she told herself._

_Bentley approached Carmelita, pleading for her to listen and understand.__ In the end I told Carmelita I had received a clue about Sly's whereabouts. __Carmelita's eyes widened. She dropped the suspect, cuffing him to a pipe.__ The roaring fire in her eyes, the burning blaze in her heart – all of it seemed to quell. I offered to invite her along. She was as much a part of the Cooper Gang as Alauna. Even though I hadn't told Carmelita Alauna would be joining us._

_Carmelita didn't need to think for too long. She threw me into her car, tossed my wheelchair into her trunk, and we sped off for Murray. Who…surprisingly, was in Russia competing in their annual combat tournaments. How he went from Spain to Russia was beyond me. I try not to question things anymore. It was surprising because Murray has avoided Russia since the Clockwerk affair. It held nightmares. But he worked through those nightmares in the ring. He achieved the title "Heavy Fist Champion!" Ha-Ha. I didn't mean to interrupt his winning streak, but he needed to see this. _

_Murray stopped flashing his champion belt when he saw Bentley and Carmelita outside the ring. His yellow gloved hands pointed fervently to the IPad. Murray gaped in awe and complete elation. Murray picked up Carmelita and Bentley and threw them in the van. Carmelita called in a tow. Boy was she going to hate the bill._

_During the drive, I explained to Carmelita and Murray that in order to get the full story, we would need to go to Egypt. Cairo to be more specific. The message came from a friend of ours who needed our help. That's when Carmelita grew suspicious. Thieves who have friends could only mean MORE THIEVES! __Carmelita glares at Bentley intensely, demanding an answer.__ She grilled me for an hour before I caved. I announced it was Alauna who sent me the message._

_Carmelita reached her foot past the driver seat and smashed her foot onto the break. She smashed her face into Bentley's, growling animally. Her eyes barked like dogs. Bentley crazily waved his hands.__ I explained to Carmelita, she may not have liked it, but it was the only way we could use the time machine to find him. Alauna had, in her possession, a piece of rock derived from the time period Sly - supposedly - landed in. Carmelita eventually gave in and sat quietly in the back seat. __Carmelita's pouting glare burned the window. Murray opened the window, letting out the steam.__ Murray continued driving, and I got into contact with Alauna. A game plan needed to be established. Because, the second we land in Cairo, I know for a fact things were going to get crazy. __Carmelita leaned over his seat, watching heatedly with a deep growl in her throat._

**(*)**

**Alauna POV**

_It was the middle of the night. A beautiful, crisp, fresh, night. After a long day of desert sun, poisonous snakes, and smelly older men, I was ready to collapse and sleep like the dead. Too bad I had a client who needed my assistance. __Sighs somberly.__ No rest for the weary. _

_A rogue government agent trying to evade arrest who killed five men and women to keep hidden. 50,000 Egyptian Pounds for capturing him dead, 100,000 alive. And in England I would be sitting comfortably for a while._

_I had just gotten out of the shower of a hotel I was staying in. Kempinski Nile Hotel, Cairo. Very lovely room and even lovelier people. Room service – the food and wine were to die for. _

_My hair always gets in the way, so I keep it in a ponytail. Unfortunately the bangs never stay put. So I just let them and a clump of locks hang out. I put on my black cargo shorts and black boots. The legging of the boots was fortified by a type of rubber armor. Lightweight, flexible, and leaves a nasty mark after a blow. My red, studded, X-band holster reached snugly around my hips. My signature Pyrovolvers bounced on my thighs. I donned my V-Neck sleeveless tank top, coupled by me long black fingerless gloves. They too were fused with the same rubber armor. Slightly thinner so my grip on my swords and guns weren't hindered. The swords always came last. I don't know. I liked the dramatic feel of donning the last resort weapons. Technically the revolvers were the last resort...I-am-blathering. MOVING ON!_

_I opened my – 17th floor – window, letting the cool night breeze wash over my skin. It woke me right up from the grip of fatigue. My feet perched to the window. I was ready to go. That's when I heard my computer beeping. A video chat was coming in. Opening the laptop, the username belonged to a Mean-Green-Genius-Machine. IT WAS BENTLEY! I answered the call, overjoyed to see Murray and Bentley waving into the camera. __A tear came to her eye.__ As usual Murray was his cute, pink self. As for Bentley…he gained a little muscle since I last saw him. __Her smile gave way to a malicious glare. She grit her teeth.__ I was BEYOND disappointed when I saw Carmelita fuming in the background. Not that I was surprised. She was just as involved in whatever mess Sly got into as I was. More so, actually. I waved as…'sincerely' as possible. She and I weren't each other's biggest fans._

_Bentley got in the middle, reminding us that we had more important issues to deal with._

**(*)**

"_I cannot believe I am being subjected to asking for help from this loco witch!_" Carmelita hissed. Her rage fogged the camera.

"You're not being subjected to anything, hag!" Alauna barked, venom dripping from her British-Irish tongue. "And for the record I called the two gentlemen." She shooed her hand haughtily, "So why don't you go find another beau that you can lie to so you can get into his pants."

"_You…ROTTEN-_" Carmelita clenched a vengeful fist.

Bentley placed his hands to Carmelita's face, "_ENOUGH!_" He boomed, shoving her out of the way. "_Can we all please remember why we're even here?_" He begged, glancing between Carmelita and Alauna. "_Sly Stuck in the Past? A message in the rocks of Egypt? Our need for a one way trip ticket?_"

Alauna raised a hand, "Don't worry." She giggled. "I already have that arranged. All you need do is walk up to the Reservation Agent at the check-in counter." She explained. "Give your names and you'll be on your way."

"_Thanks Allie._" Murray beamed. "_This is gonna be great!_" He cheered. "_But what about the van?_"

"It'll be brought along. Don't worry."

"_WOO-HOO!_"

"Now while you lot are on the subject," Alauna leaned back in her chair, folding her arms and legs, "Perhaps you can explain to me how Sly is sending messages through aged stone walls."

"_Before we get to that,_" Bentley started, showing Alauna the message she sent on his IPad, "_Where did you find this message at?_"

Alauna hesitated answering. She struggled swallowing her fear. "An ancient torture chamber." She answered ominously. Murray, Bentley, and Carmelita felt knots tie themselves in their stomachs. Alauna's mouth dried, however she continued, "There was a spot in the wall of spectator's box. History says it remained blank. That it was never filled because the next criminal to be _interrogated _escaped."

"_Yet it was filled in anyway?_"

"Yes. The words literally wrote themselves out. As if an invisible man were etching them right in front of me. Then the wall broke."

"_Broke?_" Murray questioned confusedly. "_Like…crumbled like a cookie broke? Or someone smashed it broke?_"

"Someone smashed it broke."

"_COOL!_"

"NOT COOL!" Bentley, Alauna, and Carmelita boomed. Murray cowered like a scolded puppy.

"_Murray,_" Carmelita hissed, "_If Sly is sending messages from the past, that means someone in the torture chamber's past got him._"

"And minor portions of history are being alerted!" Alauna finished. "Which…I am still confused as to how that is happening. What have you lot been up to the last year?"

"Allow me to explain." Bentley offered.

**(*)**

**Alauna POV**

_Bentley explained to me, not letting a single detail slip, that a year ago, pages of the Thievius Raccoonus began to vanish before his eyes. Cooper history was being erased. So, using a time machine Bentley and his girl, Penelope, built, they journeyed back in time to save Sly's past and his future. Turns out the one ruining everything was the Art Mogul and thief, Cyril Le Paradox. I knew of this weasel. Plenty a philanthropist and benefactor wish to see him...skinned. Bentley told me about El Jefe, Grizz, Decibel, Toothpick, and his now ex-girlfriend Penelope helping the skunk. How they stole the Cooper Ancestors'' canes. The very symbol of Sly's family._

_I felt sorry for Bentley about the whole Penelope thing. They were so cute together. And it was nice to see the turtle giddily in love. But when he told me of her escape, I could tell he wanted to know if I heard anything. Not much eludes me for long. Literally. My computer and other devices alert me to 'significant' happenings around the world. Sad to say I hadn't heard anything about Penelope. On the other hand - after Bentley showed me post cards - I mentioned I recalled seeing that mousy emblem. Where? That escaped me. But it would come back to me eventually. And trust me, I wanted to find that mouse and break her neck for breaking his heart. But, oh well, there was no trace of her. Like she too vanished into thin air._

_After Sly defeated Le Paradox, he was trapped on his time traveling blimp. A blimp being used for evil. Sounds like an Arpeggio enthusiast. The time blimp was malfunctioning and Sly wasn't able to escape. The next thing anyone knew, Sly crashed into the river and vanished. Days, weeks, and months had gone by - soon becoming a little over a year - and there was no trace of him._

_I was flabbergasted. They actually went back in time and didn't invite me. But also mortally wounded. Sly finally achieved the life he always dreamed of. The girl of his dreams in his arms at last. And once again someone swept in, trying to ruin him and steal everything he worked to the bone to obtain. I wish there was a way for me to help. I'd do anything to rescue Sly. Anything. _

_That's when Bentley told me they needed my help. Carmelita was athletic, but she wasn't as acrobatic or nimble as Sly and I are. They may need me to help rescue him, and whatever else they had to do to ensure we got him home safely. Of course I agreed – free of charge. Saving Sly, traveling back in time – who would pass that up? Now I get to see where Sly gets his…animal magnetism from. Admittedly, I've always wanted to meet Henrietta Cooper. Sure Rioichi, Galleth, and Tennessee would be pretty awe striking. But something about Henrietta drew me to her._

_There was a catch. Bentley said his time machine needed an object from that particular era in order for it to work. That's when I mentioned the rocks I collected from the ruins. They still contained portions of the message. I wondered if that would help. Bentley said it would be perfect._

**(*)**

"_Are you sure you translated this message correctly?_" Bentley tested her. He wanted triple - no, QUADRUPLE - assurance of her confidence in her findings.

"Yes." She nodded firmly. "I'm also sure that it's Sly horrible handwriting." She giggled. "The only thing I'm unsure of is the middle portion." She admitted, pointing to middle of the message. "_Sly in Common? _Why does that sound so familiar?"

"_Perhaps, just maybe,_" Carmelita responded with her usual sassy sarcasm, "_Sly found someone he has a lot in common with! ANOTHER THIEF!_"

"Which would explain why he ran from you a lot." Alauna snapped.

"_Excuse me?_"

"You're excused. Murray, remove that hag." Carmelita began to cuss Alauna out in Spanish as Murray edged her back into the back seat. "Anyway, you have any ideas?"

"_Actually I do_." Bentley boasted proudly. Alauna smirked admiringly. How did she know he would have an idea? Bentley dug around in his backpack and produced the Thievius Raccoonus. Sly's family history and secrets. "_I think Sly was trying write…_" He flipped the pages and stopped at an Egyptian Raccoon, "_Slytunkhamen Cooper II. That would place him at 1300 B.C."_

"Before Christ era?" Alauna gasped in awe. "Sly sure has the family resume."

"_That he does._" Bentley chuckled.

"Alright." Alauna checked the time on her phone. 11:00pm. In Paris it would be 10:00 pm. "I have a job to tend to." She forewarned them. "You guys should land in Cairo by…3:00 in the morning on my end. I should be back before then." She winked confidently. "I'll send you my address, tell the doorman to let you up, and I'll stop by and pick up a ten course meal on the way back."

Alauna heard the van come to a screeching halt. Murray was gaping in heavenly bliss. "_BEST…FRIEND…EVER!_" Murray bowed.

"Good night boys." Alauna hummed. "And try to get some sleep, Carmelita. Might help with those wrinkles around your eyes."

"_ESTUPIDO PUTA-_"

Alauna closed her laptop before the angry Latino could finish. She shook her head, scoffing victoriously. "Honestly, how did he put up with that woman?"

**(*)**

**Bentley POV**

_Just as Alauna predicted, we arrive to Cairo by three in the morning. Murray's Van caught some attention as it was loaded off the plane. No idea how it fit. Then there was the issue of Murray not driving on the correct side of the road, nearly hitting a man's pet camel, and a conga line of women and men heading for a lucrative party._

_All in all…IT WAS A SAVING GRACE WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE HOTEL IN ONE PIECE! __Bentley upside down in his seat, Carmelita with disheveled hair. Murray laughed nervously. __That aside, we managed to find where Alauna was staying. The doorman was polite and happy to let us in. The Concierge gave us the key card, and the floor and room number._

_To our surprise, Alauna was sitting on the bed waiting for us in the room. On the coffee table was a spread of every type of entrée, drink, and dessert Egypt had to offer. Next to her were two brief cases. Likely filled with cash. She made out nicely. I wondered how she got around customs with that much cash. More importantly, __Bentley glanced towards the window,__ how on earth did she make it up to the 17th floor without anyone noticing? Guess I shouldn't be surprised. She and Sly could be brother and sister for all I know._

**(*)**

"Glad you all made it fine." Alauna giggled. "Help yourself to the food." Murray wasted no time in going for the food. "Don't worry." Alauna instinctively reached under the bed and pulled out three bags of take out, and a few drinks. "I've got a backup plan." She knew better than to not plan ahead with food.

"Thanks, Allie." Bentley accepted his food graciously. Carmelita watched Alauna with disdainful suspicion as she snatched her food. Bentley cleared his throat nervously. "You seem to be doing well for yourself." He complimented.

Alauna batted her lashes flirtatiously, "You don't seem to be too bad either." Bentley hid half his blushing face behind a bowl of rice. "But yes. I'm taking good care of myself."

"Over charging for murder across the world pays all sorts of bills." Carmelita remarked heatedly, filing her mouth with Eish Masri.

"Jealousy is unbecoming." Alauna quickly retorted, sipping a cup of Egyptian coffee. "And the clients set the price. I just accept."

"Then you're a murder whore."

"Says the Interpol slut in the mini-skirt and low tube top." Alauna quickly bit into Aish Merahrah topped with Kushari. Carmelita flipped the carton box of Macaroni Béchamel. Nonchalantly and still eating her Aish Merahrah, Alauna drew her shoto and cut it in half. The contents spilled on Carmelita's skirt. "Temper, Inspector." Alauna cooed, smirking triumphantly to the fuming inspector. "Wouldn't want the wrinkles on your forehead to increase. What would Sly think?"

"Talk about Pot calling the kettle black!" Carmelita snarled. "Jealousy is unbecoming of you."

Alauna prodded her Maḥshi ḥamām with her fork, avoiding eye contact at all costs. "Why would I be jealous of the woman who lied to Sly for an entire YEAR," She shot her contemptuous eyes to the Inspector, "Then has the nerve to be angry with him?"

Murray stopped suddenly with a bowl of Molokheyyah tipping into his mouth. Bentley choked on his camel milk. Carmelita fell silent with an aghast expression plastered to her face. Her hand tightened to her cup of tea, coming close to breaking the cup. Alauna furrowed her brow, her magenta eyes boring into the Inspector. "Have I finally silenced the loud mouth?"

"Okay-HRMPH!" Bentley choked as he chugged his camel milk. "Okay!" He rasped. "We can duke it out below the belt later." Alauna leaned away, returned to her food. "Right now we need to focus on getting to Sly!"

"Oh yeah." Alauna jumped from the bed, rushing to her backpack. "I got those rocks." She showed Bentley the two chunks. The turtle couldn't help laughing at the childish pictures. "Hope those work."

"Oh they will." Bentley assured her. "And we will most likely get to him faster if we travel in the place these were found."

"I can take you there." Alauna volunteered. "The excavation team has cleared out to the HQ bunker for the night. We should be able to enter without incident."

"Perfect!" Bentley cheered.

"But do we have to go now?" Murray complained. "I'm just barely getting to my dessert."

"I'll drive while you eat." Alauna volunteered. "I haven't forgotten how to drive a stick shift." She assured him. "Besides. I know these roads better than all of you."

"I'LL TAKE IT!" Murray blurted. "And this, and this, and…this!" He stockpiled an immense amount of food. But no one complained. Murray was at his best when he was fed.

"Then saddle up, mates." Alauna smiled giddily. "We're going on a field trip!"

**To be continued**


	4. Journey to the Past

**Journey **

**to **

**The past**

**Continuing on**

**(*)**

Torches flickered in a sandy stone carved corridor, dancing in the small breeze gliding over the dusty floors. Rats and cockroaches scurried back to their burrows. Bats hid themselves in the corners of the ceiling, screeching venomously at anyone who walked by.

A whip whistled and cracked the air. "GYAH!" Someone cried out in agony. The whip cracked again. "GAH-HA!" The shadow of a restrained man reflected on the wall. Splashes of fresh blood trailed the silhouette. A defeated man hung his head, panting dryly with his arms chained towards the ceiling. The whip whirled in the flickering shadows and then ripped a deep graze open in the man's back "AH! GRR…"

"The more you resist, my young friend," A thick accented woman's purr echoed in the corridor, "The more you will have to endure." She cracked the whip on his back, making the man roar out. Blood trickled down his near bare body.

**(*)**

**Bentley POV**

_Gathering our equipment together, the four of us gathered into Murray's van and were off to the ruins. Alauna and I sat up front together. For the best. Murray's messy eating would have damaged the modifications I've applied over the years. Alauna and I talked about our latest discoveries in our own particular fields. How Alauna was reviewing her genealogy, how I was tinkering with my chair trying to give it upgrades – we were the stereotypical nerds' geeking out over things others found boring. Carmelita was stuck in the back with Murray. How unfortunate for her. __Cake was spilling on her hair.__ Of course Alauna was enjoying herself. Though it was at the expense of another, it was nice to see Alauna laughing. She's always had an impish giggle. It was…cute._

_Uh…BRR! __Bentley shook his head fervently.__ There was no time for that. Sly was in danger, we were going to time travel, and I'm thinking about how cute…Ugh. What am I thinking? Why would someone like her truly like a guy like me? I can't afford to let this happen again. Unless I want a repeat of what happened with Penelope. Not that I think Alauna is like Penelope. I mean, let's be serious, Carmelita and Alauna were alike. God forbid they ever hear me say that. But Alauna like Penelope? Nah. Not even close. Alauna may be ruthless and relentless, but she's never turned her aggression on those she trusts. Penelope on the other hand bought into a world domination speech. I simply meant there were more guys in the world way more interesting than I am. Like…Sly and Murray. They were more Alauna's type. As for me, I was meant to be left in the wind. Alone…forgotten._

_To distract myself, I called ahead to Dimitri, asking him if he arrived at the hideout. I told him we were taking another trip through the time stream and would need him to look after the Thievius Raccoonus. Again, it was much too dangerous to take with us. _

_As expected, Dimitri was there, and overjoyed he could..."Be the backup dancer for his bros timeline dance." Whatever that meant. I mentioned our old friend Alauna was acting as our guide. His eyes ran over her so much I almost saw foot prints take form. It was then Alauna reminded him that she allowed him to escape last time they met. Dimitri suddenly glued his face to a magazine of seasonal fashions._

_We needed Dimitri so he could let us know if anything changed in the book. Of course we still have the old communicators we used. Dimitri said to bring back his "Raccoonus Dudus," so they might, "Boogie down until the Paris light black out." I'm more than aware of what he meant. The minute we get Sly, we're going to party until time itself decides to stop. Let's just hope whoever has Sly isn't wise to time travel. I'm not really in the mood to deal with Time Pirates._

**(*)**

The van bounced roughly across the soft sand of the Egyptian Desert, jerking everyone inside as if they were on a bad roller coaster.. Bursting through dunes, reducing them to dusty clouds trailing the van's wake. Murray's remaining desserts had splattered completely onto Carmelita. Bentley was bounced into Alauna's lap. He hugged her for dear life. His head honked the horn each time Alauna's chest smashed into him. To her relief the chamber was only yards away. Alauna had brought the van to a spiraling halt. The van tipped on one side, then plopped back down on all fours.

"Ugh…" The four groaned in relief. Alauna snickered weakly, feeling her head whirling. "Got us here." She announced mischievously.

"At the price of my dessert." Murray grumbled sickly, holding a hand to his stomach. "I think I lost it half a mile back."

"Sorry, Murray." Alauna giggled. "Try recovering it from Carmelita's hair." Carmelita had a regular sundae with a cherry on top crafted on her navy hue of hair. "I'm sure she'll be grateful." Murray considered the idea with deep contemplation. But the minute Carmelita shot him a dog like glare he backed off. Alauna chuckled, loving the Inspectors misery. "You okay, Brain?" She asked Bentley who was lurched on her lap.

"I'm fine." Bentley moaned sickly. Nauseated bubbles twinkled around his head. "Shaken up, but fine."

"Sorry about that." She scratched the side of her head. "Given what we discovered, we needed to get here fast."

"Agreed." Bentley pushed up, fixing his glasses. "And that…HRMPH…" He covered his mouth, "Was fast." Alauna grinned bashfully, hoping she hadn't traumatized the Brain in anyway. Bentley pulled himself up by the window sill. Looking out the moonlit valley of sand, he saw the half buried entrance to the chamber Alauna mentioned. "Is this it?"

"Yep." Alauna answered ominously. "One mile long straight hall, two rights and one left, we'll be there."

"Okay." Bentley shuffled into his seat and reached into Alauna's pack. Alauna was impressed by how well he could move given his disability. Then again, Bentley always was amazing. "Murray, put this into the machine." Bentley handed the two rocks to him. Murray placed them into the machine. "Alright," Bentley accessed his IPad, "Calibrate this, adjust that, fire up the auxiliary – PUNCH IT ALAUNA!" Murray and Carmelita froze in terror and hugged each other closely.

"Punch it?"

"HARD!" Alauna's foot slammed onto. The tires screeched, gusting up the sand in a heaping cloud. It slipped on the start, then launched like a blur straight inside the chamber, ricocheting off the stairs and walls. Alauna struggled to stay in her seat. The seatbelt felt as if it would rip. The van bumped and grinded on the narrow walls. Carmelita could have sworn the corridor was getting narrower. The time machine powered up with the increase of speed. The walls and hieroglyphics blurred by. The end of the hallway swiftly approached.

"Bentley…" Alauna trembled out in fright, pushing back in her seat. Murray ducked down, hiding under his hands. Her foot subconsciously lifted off the gas.

"Keep going!" Alauna's foot slammed back down. Bentley quickly input a code. The hands on the clock whirled rapidly backwards. Electricity surged around the van. The end of the hallway was getting closer.

"Bentley!" Murray whimpered. Alauna's foot quivered, ready to step on the break.

"Almost done!" Bentley hit enter. The year 1300 B.C wrote itself out on the screen. A rippling aura field cast itself around the front of the van like a ship coming into orbit. The wall was only yards away.

"BENTLEY!" Alauna cried squeezing her eyes closed. Carmelita covered her eyes.

"DONE!" Bentley pushed a red button. The van only a few feet from the wall, a vortex formed in reaction to the field around the van and it was swallowed up into the wall. The vortex closed, disappearing like water down a drain.

**(*)**

"WHOOOAAAA!" Everyone screamed as the van was spiraling around the vortex. The vacuum of space and time shook them like a rattle on a snake. Alauna finally felt her dinner slash breakfast slithering up her stomach. Carmelita would have laughed, but her food was about to blow from her stomach as well.

A dark hole at the end of the vortex finally formed. The van shot out of the vortex, launching from the torture chamber's entrance and several stories into the air. Abnormally high. Bentley practically floated from his seat as they fell. Alauna slammed on the breaks, bringing the van to a bouncing halt. As a dust cloud cleared from around them, everyone sighed, thankful the ride stopped. Stomachs gargled loudly. Bentley and Alauna out the window, Murray in a paper bag, and Carmelita out the back doors - everyone hurled their lunch onto the sand.

"Now I see why I hate roller coasters." Carmelita grumbled.

"I'll never mix cake with spaghetti again!" Murray swore, raising a hand.

"Well…?" Bentley groaned dryly, "It was…just in the nick…HRMPH-BLAHHH…of time."

"Please tell me you don't make a habit of cutting things close." Alauna heaved dryly.

"You kidding?" Murray gargled. "He's become as devious as you since the last time you saw him."

"A genius who's devious?" Carmelita slumped out the window. "I'm going into retirement after this."

"Ugh. Faith and Begorrah." Alauna moaned. "Even I have to admit this is too much." She complained, holding a hand over her eyes. "When did it get so hot all of a sudden?" She peered to the sky through one eye. "Wait…it's the middle of the day?"

Bentley fixed his glasses, studying their current when and where location. "IT WORKED!" Bentley cheered, congratulating himself. "WE'RE IN EGYPT CIRCA 1300 B.C.!"

"We are?" Alauna questioned dubiously. She exited from the van, her boots splashing to the surprisingly hot sand. Her legs almost caved from the adrenaline rush of the trip. "Wow…" Alauna gaped in awe. Carmelita, Bentley, and Murray exited the van too, and were just as in awe as Alauna.

Before, they were in a vast desert where there was nothing for miles. A cool night massaging their green faces. Now they were in a deep – seemingly bottomless – gorge. Sheer rock walls all around them. In front of them was a narrow pathway, leading into what seemed to be branching off pathways.

"OH…MY…CUPCAKES!" Murray blurted. His jaw was dropped to something inside the gorge they were in. When the three turned around, utter disbelief fell on their heads.

Behind them was a massive building, touching either side of the gorge. It was built like the pyramids, only elongated. From the looks of things, it was built into the back of the gorge. A wide ramp of stairs, sectioned into three by statues of jackals, led to three different carved out archways. The second floor had a connecting rectangular balcony. Hangman nooses leered over the edge with flimsy planks outstretched beneath the rope. The third floor had a large round balcony. And judged from the broken railing, that's where emerged from upon entry.

Wails of pain and agony were heard moaning from the ancient building. Chills crawled up Bentley's skin. People may get hurt, but he's never heard them be tortured. "Hard to believe." Alauna scratched her head. "The excavation team and I were only in the chamber for a few hours," She studied the top floor, shaking her head in disbelief, "But we never discovered evidence of there being multiple floors."

"You mean…" Murray tapped his head, trying to contemplate what she said, "We entered and exited from the third floor?"

"Precisely."

"Whoa…"

"Don't look too surprised. Over 3,000 years of sandstorms blew over this place." She studied the gorge they were in. "And judging from the structure of the walls around us," And the rocks around the inner perimeter, "I'd wager this gorge pieced apart."

"Congratulations." Carmelita waved her hands sardonically. "You're a history major on top of a language geek."

"I'm a_ master_ language geek, a _minor_ in history." She corrected scathingly. "Do not resent me because I'm educated."

"I'm educated!"

"Yes, your middle school diploma must be singing your praises."

Carmelita grabbed Alauna by the collar. "YOU KNOW WHAT, IRITISH (eye-rih-tish) BITCH?"

Alauna grabbed Carmelita by the collar as well. "NO, LATIN-RICAN WHORE! WHAT?!" Alauna and Carmelita touched foreheads, growling animally with lightning surging between their eyes.

"CAN YOU TWO NOT FIGHT FOR FIVE MINUTES?" Bentley roared.

"Uh, guys?" Murray pointed down the path entrance to the gorge. "I think I see someone coming." Carmelita and Alauna glanced to him with furrowed brows. Putting his hand to his forehead like a visor, Murray narrowed his eyes to the path. "Yep…definitely someone coming." Unable to see that far, he placed his binocucom to his eyes. Three horse drawn carriages driven by two Hyenas on each one were heading towards them. "And they have cages. Cages with people inside!"

"We need to hide! NOW!" Bentley panicked. Everyone shuffled into the van. Murray into the driver's seat. They were in 1300 B.C. A van with a clock on top isn't exactly discreet. Murray drove the van to the right side of the building, putting it as far back as possible. Carmelita readied her pistol. Alauna twirled a revolver. The two took point and stalked low to the front of the structure. Carmelita hid behind a statue below the slope of stairs Climbing onto the statue pedestal, she peered around. Alauna hid beside the ramp of the stairs, peering past the stairs.

The three carriages came to a halt at the foot of the stairs. Three gators emerged from one of the doors, meeting with the hyenas. Carmelita ducked down, keeping her head low. She psst through her teeth, gaining Alauna's attention. Carmelita tossed her a binocucom and ear com. Alauna put the com in her ear. "_Can you hear me, Allie?_" Bentley whispered.

"Crystal." The gators walked down the stairs, smiling hungrily to the hyenas and their prisoners.

"We need to get to the third floor." Carmelita pressed, speaking to her ear com Bentley gave to her. "That's where the clues lie."

"_But it may not be where Sly is right this second!_" Bentley stressed. They couldn't afford to be hasty. "_Right now we need to do some recon of this place!_" Alauna and Carmelita didn't enjoy the thought of waiting, but Bentley was right. 3,000 years from now the third floor is empty and run down. Who knows what's up there right this second? "_Listen in on their conversation. Maybe we can learn something. Maybe get some photos._"

"I'll take the pictures." Carmelita volunteered.

"I'll listen." Alauna concurred. She dropped to her stomach. Drowning out all sound, she shuffled through the coarse sand. The incoherent mutters of the guards went unbothered. They couldn't hear her. Good thing Bentley's ear coms amplify sound. Coming to a pedestal at the bottom of the stairs, Alauna decided that best for her to listen in.

Carmelita placed her binocucom her eyes, activating the camera.

"_Alright._" Bentley whispered. "_Let's see what the ancients talked about._"

"I take it you six had a smooth journey, First Lieutenant Heckles." The middle guard greeted with a deep gravelly tone. His voice made Alauna shiver. Carmelita's first picture was of the three gator guards. The waistbands of their loincloth skirts were different colors. Left had a green band with bronze leaflets. Right was Maroon with silver swirls. The middle was Brown with gold eyes.

"Very smooth, Captain Grunt." The Red band hyena cackled with an Igor like voice. Carmelita took quick shots of the hyenas. Five had black headbands with white triangle ribbons hanging down their foreheads. The sixth had a red headband with three upside down black triangles.

"_Intriguing._" Bentley gaped. "_I've heard of this. The colors of the design determine rank and the band determines what category of authority they reside in._"

"Found these three stealing bread from our beloved Pharaoh's convoy." Heckles pointed to the monkeys in the cages. Alauna fluttered a hand. Carmelita arched a brow to her. Alauna pointed to the cages. Carmelita nodded and snapped a few photos of the prisoners. I, II, and III were etched. Carmelita had a thought and glanced to the doorways. I, II, and III were also etched. "The Pharaoh personally requested they be hung." The lead hyena shuffled his hands together greedily, revealing his razor sharp teeth in a beastly grin. "And he also wishes to know how our Lady Vizier is doing with our ring-tailed rat guest."_ RING TAILED RAT? _Alauna and Carmelita gasped in their minds. Murray and Bentley, listening from the van, had tears gathering in their eyes.

"PAH!" The captain threw his head back laughing. "The poor fool is continuing to fight."

"Our Lady Vizier has been working him for hours." The green belt guard cackled.

"You guys are lucky. While we toil with the pharaoh, you get to enjoy the spectacle with the Lady Vizier."

"I guess that means these groups belong to two different Task Forces." Alauna confirmed.

"The Gators work here with the Lady Vizier, and the Hyenas for the Pharaoh." Carmelita agreed.

"HA! That pathetic little rat. He is pretty stubborn, I'll give him that." The maroon band gator remarked in amazement. "That whip reached bone and he still won't talk. I can see why her Ladyship is growing bored."

Carmelita held a hand to her chest. Her eyes widened in horror. Alauna shared her distress. But they couldn't blow their cover yet. "Well at least he's giving the important guests something to watch." Heckles cackled. "Is what I heard true? He wrote a message in the wall?"

"To our eternal tedium.." The Gator with the green belt sniggered. "Poor boy." He pat his hand to the hammer clipped to his side. "Though he was lucky. His head would have turned out like that wall had he not dodged." Alauna instinctively glanced back towards the van. She saw Bentley and Murray gaping in horror. All four thought the same thing. The prisoner the gators spoke of had to be Sly. There was no other explanation. They could have arrived hours, days, or months after Sly. "Good thing my foot has good reflexes. His ribs reacted nicely." Murray clenched his jaw and fists. Bentley rested a hand, keeping him seated. _At least we know how the wall broke._ Carmelita recalled Alauna mentioning the wall crumbled. Alauna lowered her head into the sand, falling into despair. Sly…for all they knew…was being tortured. Alauna may have received the message all of a few hours ago. But for all they knew…Sly could have been there for weeks and was waiting for them. It tore their hearts.

"Well we'll get these three off your hands." Captain Grunt offered. The hyenas unloaded the monkeys and threw them into the Gators' hands. "You should head back to the palace. Tell the Pharaoh the raccoon still won't talk."

"You got it, Captain Grunt." Heckles sniggered like a gremlin. "Do let me know when the whip cracks his bones."

"I'll send the falcons the moment it happens." The hyenas mounted their horses and took their leave. The gators dragged the monkeys into their respective doors, vanishing into the shadows.

"_Those…monsters!_" Bentley fumed on the other end. "_Those beasts!_"

"Bentley, keep your head!" Alauna blurted, massaging her forehead with grief. "Losing your composure now will only jeopardize Sly." To be a successful Bounty Hunter, Alauna needed to master containing her emotions. Falling prey to emotion during a job results in severe failure. Usually ending up in casualties. Her grandfather taught her '_Keep a cap on your head lest your wits leave you.'_ Alauna had no place telling another to keep his cool. But it needed to be said.

"_You're right. You're right._" Bentley inhaled and exhaled meditatively. "_Okay._" Alauna and Carmelita heard him clap his hands to his cheeks, snapping himself out of his funk. "_I did a little background research during the conversation._" He explained, breathing heavily. "_The colored bands on the hyenas and gators do symbolize their affiliations and ranks. The Hyenas have red, and black bands with triangular ribbons. Black bands with White triangles are the lackeys, and red bands with black are the leaders._"

"What about the gators?"

"_Green bands are the lowest of the guard, Maroon middle, and Brown is the highest. The designs indicate they are the leaders._"

"That's all well and good," Carmelita interrupted, "But how exactly does that help us find the Ring-Tail?"

"_One of the Gators mentioned Sly was entertaining the Important Guests. Know anything about that Alauna?_"

"It has to be the room I found the message in." She and Carmelita looked to the third floor. "The room was wide, had a view of every last torture device – it had to be the spectator's box for the nobles."

"_And from the sounds of things, Sly might still be giving them a show._" Murray remarked.

"_Look ladies,_" Bentley began firsthand, "_There's no time for a complicated plan. Especially since we haven't had a chance to gather Intel on this place._" In other words, Bentley was about to send them in blind. "_You both are the most athletic. Get to the third floor, and find Sly._" Carmelita and Alauna exchanged hateful glares. The last thing either one wanted to do was team up with each other. "_I know you both have bitter feelings for one another!_" Bentley interjected as if reading their minds. "_But try to remember that we're here for Sly. Someone you both care about deeply._" Alauna and Carmelita lowered their gazes somberly. They couldn't deny that they both had some feelings for Sly. "_No fighting – with each other or the guards. We can't let anyone know someone's lurking. Now hurry!_"

Alauna and Carmelita peered over the stairs, listening and watching to ensure the coast was clear. They couldn't walk in through the front doors. Alauna never got a chance to study the structure before departure. She has no idea where the other floors lead or how big they were. Carmelita pointed to a ledge just beside the second story balcony. Alauna nodded. Carmelita climbed to the platform, scurrying quietly and positioning herself. She interlaced her fingers. Alauna ran up, placed a foot to the hands. Carmelita launched her up. Alauna reached out and grabbed the ledge with one hand. She grabbed on with the other and started to pull herself up. Her ears flapped.

"Hm?" Alauna got to her elbows and listened in, adjusting her ears. There was a narrow rectangular window in front of her. There were odd echoes coming from it. To her horror she heard pattering footsteps coming right towards her. Alauna scrambled to the ledge, placing her back to the crook of a tiny wall in the ledge. She fluttered a hand to Carmelita, telling her to take cover. Carmelita ducked behind the building. Alauna stood on the ledge, making herself as invisible as possible.

The footsteps she heard were quickly approaching. Rhythmic when they touched the ground. Like pikes piercing the dirt in twos. One-two, one-two, one-two, one-two. Those footsteps came to a halt. Alauna, moving as slowly as possible, turned to peer around the corner. She couldn't see much of the person. They were standing in the doorway. But Alauna could see pinch claws in white gloves.

"That blasted Cooper!" Alauna was surprised. It was a female voice. _Could this be the Lady Vizier? _"Why must they all be so stubborn?" Alauna was baffled by the accent. _Romanian? Bulgarian? Czech? _She couldn't tell. All she knew was it didn't belong in Egypt. "I have worked this man for days and he still won't talk! OOH!" She stomped a foot. Still sounded more like a pike hitting the ground. "This is more annoying than Prague!" _Prague?_ _Did Prague even exist in 1300 B.C._ "I better get some answers soon, or the Cooper Line will end with him…and so will my career." Alauna heard the footsteps retreat back into the halls of the second floor. She tried to get a peek of the woman. She vanished into a hallway before she could get a view.

"That was weird." Alauna whispered.

"What is?" Alauna whipped around. Somehow, Carmelita was standing right behind her.

"One second." Alauna touched her ear com. "Bentley, did you guys ever go to Prague?"

"_Once. Three years ago. Why?_"

"I think I just overheard the Lady Vizier venting to herself. She mentioned Sly and Prague." Carmelita's eyes widened.

"_That's strange. Did you get a good look at her?_"

"No. She disappeared."

"I'll go scope her out." Carmelita volunteered suddenly. "It may be our only lead as to why Sly is even here being tortured."

"_Though her plan begs hazardous, Carmelita's right._" Bentley agreed. Alauna silently agreed. "_See who the Lady Vizier is. Stay out of sight._"

"Right." Carmelita climbed around Alauna, touching down to the balcony as lightly as she could.

"Oye." Alauna beckoned her quietly. "Sly's going to want to see you. So make sure not to get caught."

"Why, Alauna, I didn't know you cared." Carmelita pretended to be flattered.

"I don't." Alauna climbed to the balcony and then onto the statue of a cat. "I just don't want to have to explain to Sly why you weren't here for him. Despite my being confused why you even came." Carmelita bit her lip, feeling the sting of her words. Taking the high road, she entered into the large room, disappearing down the same hallway as the Lady Vizier. Alauna scoffed through gritted teeth, then proceeded to climb on the archway. She managed to reach the third floor balcony. She poked her head over the ledge, scanning for guards. She slithered onto the balcony, skulking like a jungle cat after its prey.

There were two rows of five chairs on the balcony. Something Alauna didn't see before their journey. Much changes in 3,000 years. Alauna poked her head into the elongated hallway. It was much wider than she expected, and more lavish. There was more to it. Adjoining halls leading to different rooms. Most likely cells for the prestigious prisoners. Alauna could hear voice coming from each of the rooms. All of them laughing and chortling over minor moans of pain. Potted plants, fresh hieroglyphics, no cobwebs or rodents – as far as she could tell. There were large square holes in the wall. Scimitars, axes, and helmets were hung in those holes like trophies.

None of this helped Alauna. Walking down the hall would be too risky. Especially since she stood out worse than wolf in a flock of sheep. Up above there were balance and support beams. One of the beams descending diagonally onto the archway of the door she had entered from. Alauna smiled triumphantly. When in doubt, keep to the ceiling. Springing off the wall she grabbed onto the beam. She shuffled along, coming to where she was able to pull herself up without hitting her head or getting squashed.

"Hmph. This is higher than it looks." Alauna shuffled swiftly yet silently along the beam. To her displeasure there were cobwebs. She spoke too soon before. But at least she was able to get through the hall without feeling as if she was about to be spotted. As she sauntered along, Alauna heard the grinding of cranks and chain, the blood curdling wails of the unfortunate prisoners. People move in and out of the rooms, talking amongst themselves as if they had just watched someone catch a fish. A few laughed like maniacs. The lifeless bodies of innocent people we dragged out, tossed into one room at the end of the hall. Alauna could see countless bodies piled inside. It took all of Alauna's willpower not to express her disgust out loud. She was there for Sly. Not to play Moses.

"Bentley," Alauna swallowed contemptuously, "I'm not going to lie. I envy Carmelita right now." She rounded a corner, recognizing a few of the symbols. "The third floor is awful. A cesspool for the rich and cruel."

"_I beg to differ._" Carmelita grumbled. "_I got the floor where the fat and ugly men make love to the skinny and horny women._" She shuddered over the ear com. "_Smells like sweating pigs._"

"Ooh…" Alauna shuddered. "I rescind my comment."

"_Let's keep the chatter under wraps._" Bentley urged. "_From the sounds of things, there's loads of people._"

"Roger that." Alauna ended the call. She turned down the right corridor, heading for where she received the message.

"I cannot believe that filthy raccoon isn't up for show today." Alauna froze and looked down. A female cat woman were jeering to a dog man. "He stole my life savings. I cannot have my salad imported because of him."

"I know what you mean." The dog man grumbled. "My daughter is upset I wasn't able to get her the golden carriage."

"I'm glad they threw him in the northernmost cells. Let him rot in the dark."

"Northernmost Cell, huh?" Alauna tugged at her clothing and eyed the beams she was on. "These beams aren't going to work. Neither are these rags." Alauna looked into her binocucom, ascertaining the general direction. North was the wall adjacent to the hallway she just entered from. "Sorry Bentley." Alauna watched a young woman pass by under her. Seemed to be same height and body build. "I need a change of clothes."

The woman turned into a random room, closing the door behind her. Alauna dropped down and entered immediately after her. There was a moment of silence. _BAM! BOOM! SLAM! _The door opened again. Alauna emerged in her newly acquired attire, her clothing and weapons in hand. A long flowing skirt parting in the front for the leggings. The cerulean blue waistband with a long hexagon ribbon hanging down the front. The crop top hung off her shoulders with a red jewel embedded in the center of the breasts. A cobra headdress. Thick golden clasp wrist bands and a necklace. "Ugh. Thank god this is temporary." Alauna moved to the window. She saw the van just below and tossed her stuff out. They landed perfectly on top, startling Murray and Bentley. Alauna wanted to laugh about it, but she needed to move.

As Alauna walked through the corridor, she felt an uneasy pressure building on her shoulders. Sure people passed by her without turning a head, a few men bowed their heads, and a couple of the guards eyed her like a piece of meat. But the idea of being under cover in ancient Egypt – the land where Samurai Swords and heavy semi-automatic firearms had yet to exist – Alauna felt exposed. Vulnerable. And in her get up she felt restrained. But she kept telling herself it was for Sly. She needed to make this work.

"Pardon me." She tapped a Gator guard on the shoulder. The gator shifted his gaze from his friend to her. Both dropped their jaws and ogled her hungrily. "I'm sorry to bother you." Alauna, her hands folded behind her back, rocked her hips side to side, teasing the guards. "Could I trouble you both for a little help?"

"No trouble at all, My Lady." Guard 1 bowed with a sweep of his hand. "How may we be of service?"

Alauna looked around with feigned caution, prompting the two guards to do the same. She motioned her hand, wishing for them to come closer. "I heard rumors of a certain raccoon thief being imprisoned here. Is this true?"

"As the sky is blue." Guard 2 responded in a whisper. "Why the interest?"

"Well you see…" Alauna batted her eyes like a puppy, "He was the one who stole my most sacred of treasures. Family heirlooms." She touched a hand to her cheek, sighing with despair. "I was hoping to get in a few words with the man he stole my ruby headdress. But I heard he's not seeing the dungeon master today." Alauna instantly moved close to the one guard, pressing her body entirely against his. Her hands to his chest, her knee bent between his legs, her chest teasing his stomach. "But I'm sure someone in your position can help me." She tugged at his brown band.

The Gator swallowed nervously, his cheeks flushing. "I-I-I don't…know…" His voice croaked. "I mean…I-I-I could, but-"

"Please…" Alauna hugged his arm, pressing her breasts to his arm. "I just want to see him for a few minutes." She pouted her lower lip, circling a finger on his chest.

"Well…" The gator started to give.

"For the record…" She purred huskily, walking her fingers up his chest, "I-would-be…" She trailed off, touching a hand to the side of his face, "Eternally grateful." She bent his snout down. "In every sense." Her lips lightly pecked his nose. Steam whistled form the gator guards ears. He laughed drunkenly with hearts circling his head. His friend stood behind him, clapping. "I trust we have a deal." She batted her eyes.

**(*)**

Bentley hid his embarrassment under his hat. His green cheeks were cherry red. _How can she be so confident? _He moaned in his mind. He listened to her giggle giddily. "Grr…" He massaged his forehead in irritation.

Murray packed Alauna's things into the back of the van, taking care not to look at any of her undergarments in the process. On the other hand he did take time to admire her revolvers. They were shiny, glossy, well kept. "Ooh…"

"I guess things…" Bentley grumbled, drumming his fingers on his arm, "Must be more active on the third floor than the second."

"I guess." Murray put Alauna's holster down. "They must have if Alauna's walking around naked."

Bentley's cheeks flushed bright red. Steam whistled from his ears. His mind wandered into the land of no return. He choked on the air. "NO! NOT NAKED!" He boomed, startling Murray. "She's wearing a disguise!"

"Oh." Murray fiddled his fingers nervously, darting his eyes around uncomfortably. "Right." He shrugged his hands with an impish grin. "My bad."

Bentley turned back to his IPad, keeping watch over the red blips moving through the compound. With each hall, door, and closet Carmelita and Alauna passed by, a general description of the compound was drawn out on the IPad. Alauna was moving smoothly. But Carmelita was stopping, zigzagging, moving all over the map.

"One of the revolvers and the small blade are missing." Murray announced with relief. "At least she's not weaponless."

"That's Allie, for ya." Bentley scoffed humorously. "Always prepared." He tapped his chin, worried he hadn't heard anything from Carmelita or Alauna in some odd minutes. "I wonder what's happening."

**(*)**

The second floor was shadowed and dimmed of the light. Unlike the third floor there were little to no people wandering the halls. They were hiding in the rooms. Wealthy men with concubines, women seducing men. The past and future hadn't changed much. Money still bought pleasure.

There were Honey Badgers blow horns clipped to their hips. One toot and anyone who wasn't allowed on that floor would be swarmed before they could blink. The claws on their paws were long, razor sharp. They gleamed in the torch light. Their beady red eyes glowered through the dim lighting.

Carmelita hid in the shadows of the walls, seeking cover behind pillars and statues. She watched the guards pass by her, chattering heatedly to themselves. Carmelita moved throughout the corridors, keeping her back close to the walls. There were heavy duty cell blocks, thick wood doors standing between her and the prisoners inside. Carmelita peered through the rectangular holes in the wooden doors. Prisoners were restrained tightly to the walls, emaciated and dehydrated. She looked into the cells, trying desperately to see if Sly could have been moved into one of them. No luck. The Badgers would enter a room or corridor and Carmelita would take a leap and progress forward. She would peer around the corner, scouting ahead. The path was clear. She was so far inside she honestly believed the walls were watching her.

"Hm?" Carmelita tensed in the corner she hid in. She narrowed her eyes to the wall of a connecting hallway. The shadow of a woman was seen disappearing into the darkness. It had to have been the Lady Vizier Alauna thought she heard. Carmelita skulked after the woman, keeping close to the wall. She pressed her back to the corner and looked around.

There at the end of the hallway, a heavily enforced door had barely closed. It was cracked open a ways, letting the light of the outside gleam into the hallway. Carmelita tiptoed quietly. Her shock pistol held downward, Carmelita kept her eyes and ears open. Watching, listening, sensing the slightest shift in the air. She positioned herself on the door, glaring into the crack. She could barely make out anything, but there was a large window which gazed out to the gorge. Judging from the table stacked with papers, and the smells of incense, the Lady Vizier had been living there for a while.

"Where is she?" Carmelita asked herself, trying her best to see into the room without giving herself away. If she could find out where the Lady Vizier was standing, Carmelita might have been able to sneak in undetected. Carmelita placed a hand to the door, opening it slightly. There was a small creak. She winced.

A blood red eye greeted her. "HELLO THERE!" A claw hand grabbed Carmelita by the wrist and yanked her inside. The door slammed behind her. Carmelita's gun was discarded off to the side near the window. Her one hand pinned above her head and a claw clamped to her neck, Carmelita was pinned to the wall, hoisted several feet from the ground. Carmelita clawed fervently, growling like an animal to get free. Her legs kicked and thrashed at the air. No luck. "Still one to fight futilely, My Dear Inspector Carmelita." Carmelita's eyes widened at the sickening purr in which the accent said her name. "Then again you never were one to accept your captures or defeats with decorum."

"You…" Carmelita's voice trembled. "Contessa…" The name fell from her mouth like a guillotine to her neck. Her heart sank in horrific disbelief. The renowned former hypno therapist of Interpol, and member of the defeated Klaww Gang, Countess Contessa, stood before Carmelita. Once again Contessa had Carmelita at her mercy.

"It's good to see you again, Inspector Carmelita." Contessa sniggered maliciously. "You're looking well. A lot better than Constable Neyla."

"You can't be here." Carmelita panicked. "You're in prison!"

"WAS in prison, my dear." The woman corrected with her thick accent. "I was released for good behavior." Contessa grinned wolfishly, revealing her fangs. "Amazing how helping a few inmates make decent life choices gets you released early."

"You couldn't have been!" Carmelita denied adamantly. "You were to be locked away for life!" The fear rang in her voice. "YOU'RE NOT HERE!" She closed her eyes. "YOU'RE NOT!"

"But I am here, Carmelita." The claw tightened to her neck, earning a pained grunt from Carmelita. "The proof is on your neck." She tightened her grip. Carmelita hissed through gritted teeth. The pressure built in her head as the oxygen was slowly cut off. Contessa narrowed her eyes, burning for revenge. "And I fully intend to stay here."

**(*)**

Alauna was guided to the farthest quadrant of the…prison, torture compound – Torture Prison. The sense of isolation grew unbearably. Unlike the rest of the compound, no light reached beyond a sectional door. When it opened, the bright sunlight revealed everything. A damp, rotten smelling, rodent infested corridor. Alauna suddenly felt health conscious and wanted to run out. The minute it closed the light was severed, and Alauna was in for the long haul. She breathed heavily, trying to calm herself. No weapons – at least for now. But the second those guards do something she didn't like...Bentley would be lecturing her about following the plan.

The two Gator guards ignited candlesticks. The orange flames surprisingly lit up the corridor, easing Alauna's rising fear of the closed space, but not of the fear of touching anything. One behind her and one in front, the guards guided Alauna down the hall, keeping their candles raised so not to hit anything along the way.

"Northernmost. It's no joke." Alauna commented with a shudder.

"Only the worst criminals get sent back here." Guard 2 cackled, gesturing a hand to one of the wooden doors. "No light, no fresh air, little water and food-"

"In most cases none for a day or two." Guard 1 quickly added.

Guard 2 chuckled, commending his partner. "It wears them down." He elbowed Alauna in the back. "The whip doesn't hurt either." Alauna lowered her head, folding her ears. She clenched her fingers closed, piercing her nails into her skin. They were starving Sly, breaking him like a cheap doll. She's absent for a year or two and this happens. If it was the last thing she did, everyone in that compound will be at the end of her revolver, begging for their lives.

Alauna's pupil narrowed to a tight slit, _I'll gut every last one of you, lads._

"Here we are." Guard 1 placed a hand to the wall next to a cell door. "We'll stand with you-"

"If he's emaciated and restrained, I will not require guards." Alauna interrupted strongly. "I wish for ten minutes alone with this man. You both will stand at the end of the hall."

"My Lady-"

"Do this and I will ensure you both are handsomely rewarded." Alauna ran a hand down her tail, stroking it to the nose of the first guard. "Anything you can ask for." She teased, tickling his chin with her tail tip. The guard laughed drunkenly.

The guards opened the door. The second guard gave Alauna his candle light. They told her she had ten minutes. If she finishes early she was to knock. Alauna entered the room and clichéd when the door closed. Were it not for the candle, she be in pitch blackness. Alauna raised the candle to the cell. Filled with mold and cobwebs. Bentley would start hyperventilating.

"Ugh…" Alauna whipped around. There was some sort of moisture on the ground. By the mildew smell it was water. "Ugh…" Alauna moved the candle to the far corner. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Hanging limply with his arms spread eagle in shackles, deep rips in his back, a bloodied long sleeve turtle neck torn to rags, blood staining the gray fur, his knees and legs missing patches of fur and with deep scar was a raccoon who brought tears to Alauna's eyes.

"Sly!" She gasped in whisper, sorrow in her voice. Alauna placed the candle to the ground, and got to her knees. "Sly?" She called to him, hovering her hands around him. Sly moaned weakly again. Alauna beamed in elation. He was alive. Barely. "Sly." She smiled, putting her hands to his face. "It's me, Alauna. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He grunted.

Alauna was taken aback. Sly's voice sounded…off. It was…higher. Hint of an accent. She tilted his head up, putting it into the light. She gaped in shock. Sly's face…wasn't his. He had thick beard on his chin. Remnants of the ribbon that held it together were stuck in it. A golden neck brace was chipped and stained. There was a lighter hue on his cheeks coming from his mask. "You're not Sly." Alauna remarked in disbelief. heartbroken disbelief.

"Hmph." The raccoon scoffed. "You're not the first person…to realize this." He heaved dryly, his voice rasping in an exhausted whisper. "I am…Slytunkhamen." He announced. "Slytunkhamen Cooper II." Alauna backed away by an inch. "Sorry to disappoint you."

**To be continued.**


	5. A Quick Getaway

**A**

**Quick**

**Getaway**

**Last chapter before I call it a break for a week or so.**

**(*-*)**

An hour must have passed since Bentley and Murray last heard from either Carmelita or Alauna. The two were starting to grow worried. And sweaty. It had to have been 90, close to 100, degrees outside. No breeze made it to the deep chasm. Only by stroke of luck was, maybe, a brief puff of cool air. Unfortunately since gasoline and motor vehicles wasn't invented weren't until the late 1700's, they had to preserve what fuel they had. To break down minerals and create their own fuel would require resources that they did not possess. At the moment, anyway. And, given their previous experiences, a quick getaway may be in order. Maybe, when Bentley had the time, he'd utilize the land to fit his needs.

About an hour ago, Alauna donned a disguise and was being taken to the inner dungeons of the compound by guards. She even took her short blade and one of the revolvers with her. So she wasn't going in defenseless. Not that Bentley thought she needed weapons. But even she would have to admit the challenge of taking on a hoard of guards without a means of countering other weapons. Carmelita, on the other hand, was following a familiar figure into a random place in the compound. As usual she went in with her shock pistol drawn. Murray was unable to recall a time she ever really holstered it...for longer than three seconds. Too bad for guards.

Nevertheless, to say Murray and Bentley were rankled with worry about was an understatement.

"Should we go in after them?" Murray asked.

"No. Not yet." Bentley decided, tapping his chin pensively.

"But…" Murray displayed a guard's garb to Bentley, "I have my costume ready."

"Just give them 10 more minutes." Bentley requested gently. "Remember, this infiltration idea was a plan on the fly. To simply dive in - again - without a plan would be suicide. Especially since we're outsiders. We don't know what surprises this place has." No hints of technology were detected as fiercely as their last venture. They'd literally be going in blind.

"I guess you're right." Murray mumbled, packing away his costume. "But if we do end up having to go in, you do have a map we can use, right?"

"Yeah." Bentley grabbed his IPad and displayed the routes Alauna and Carmelita have taken. "No worries. We won't get lost. Hmm…" He hummed. "That's strange."

"What is?" Murray leaned over to the passenger seat.

Bentley put a finger to the screen. A red blip was – from what Bentley was able to determine – in the northwestern most room of the second floor. "Carmelita." He muttered. "She's been idle for several minutes."

"Gee. I hope nothing's wrong."

**(*-*)**

Feet thrashing about in a desperate yet futile attempt to reach the ground only inches below them…A throat clenching and cracking under the unbearable pressure…gasping heaves of breath rasping as lungs were denied oxygen… hands clawing into the arm of the assailants hand to force them to let go.

The Contessa, one of Interpol's most wanted – and formerly respected – criminal geniuses, cackled menacingly as she watched Carmelita struggle to keep what little bit of consciousness she still had. The claw steadily grew unbearably tighter around Carmelita's neck. The pressure built in her head. It felt like a balloon ready to pop. Her vision blurred drastically. Yet she still kept fighting. The Contessa had to drop her at some point. Hopefully soon. Her ears were starting to ring.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this day, Inspector Carmelita." Contessa purred huskily. Carmelita gritted her teeth, growling hoarsely. "The day that I would be able to rend your pretty little body into tiny pieces!" Pulling Carmelita from the wall, Contessa tossed her aside. Carmelita's back smashed into the wall with a painfully loud thud. She collapsed to the floor. Not even the soft silk pillows could soften her descent.

"Ugh…GAH…HA…" She panted. Her chest puffed in and out rapidly. A pleasing chill filled her lungs as her breath returned. "How…are…you…here?" She wheezed.

"Come now, Inspector Carmelita," Contessa let her name fall from her tongue, savoring the pitiful state the agent was in, "After all the time traveling you've done," She knelt down on one knee, "Do you truly need to ask?"

Carmelita's gasped in horror. "How do you know about that? Who told you?" She choked on her own air. She blurted too much too soon.

"Have you truly forgotten?" Contessa rough grasped Carmelita's jaw, "Nothing goes on in the world that I do not hear of. Hearing of a Time Machine? Too tempting to pass up without investigation."

"Who…brought you…here?" She paced herself carefully. "Did you break Cyril Le Paradox out? Is that weasel here?"

"I'm afraid that secret stays with me." Contessa teased. "All I can – or rather _will_ – tell you is," The Contessa placed a claw under Carmelita's chin, tilted her head up with a sharp jerk, "_He_ will savor watching your precious raccoon fall to pieces." Carmelita clenched her teeth. Her growls were dry huffs. Just a few feet to her right was the shock pistol. Hope rose within her. Just one shot and she could make an escape. If she could just reach it…

The Contessa stomped her foot into the hand. The pike end pierced the glove and skin. Blood trickle out like a faucet. Carmelita cried out in agony. She pulled and tugged frantically at her hand. Contessa lashed out with another one of her feet, striking Carmelita in the head. The world became blurry again. The Spiderwoman shuffled back then lashed out with a swift kick into Carmelita's ribs. A sharp, searing pain spiked throughout her entire abdomen. Contessa launched yet another kick, smashing Carmelita into the wall again. Her head and back smashed into the stone, robbing her of her breath and half of her consciousness.

"How I will relish in tearing your hide apart for the humiliation you put me through!" Contessa snarled venomously. "You and that blasted Cooper gang will perish slowly, painfully, and I will make you all watch!"

Carmelita struggled waveringly to sit on her behind. Her arms trembled as the weakened muscles fought to push her up from the floor. The slightest twitch made her, likely, bruised ribs twinge in a sharp pain. "I see…" Carmelita's voice rasped dryly, "You're…still steaming." She coughed up tiny specks of blood.

"Steaming is a kind term!" The Contessa hissed venomously. "It is more of an overwhelming rage which has boiled past its breaking point." She snapped her claws threateningly. "What better therapy for such a rage than to take it out on its cause?" Fangs showed from beyond her sinister grin. The perpetual red glow in her eyes illuminated ominously. "As a certified therapist, I am qualified to make that assessment."

"Yeah?" Carmelita spat defiantly. "Well…" She put her hands to the wall, "I welcome you…to try!" She climbed to her feet, balancing on wall. Her knees quaked. The strength slowly but surely returned to them as she rose to her feet. "But you better be ready! I have no intention of going down easily." Tough words but she lacked the full strength to back it up. Her head felt lighter than a helium filled balloon. Then there were her ribs. Those were definitely a hindrance.

"Ah yes…" Contessa chortled derisively, "How could I forget? You're a fighter." Contessa chortled, creating a small gap between her and Carmelita. "And like all fighters, you would rather die on your feet than on your knees." Her tongue ran lovingly over her lips. "Fortunately enough that blasted Cooper shares that very idealism." Carmelita gaped in dismay at Sly's name. Her heart nearly pieced away at the mentioning of Sly. "All the more fun for me."

Before she and Alauna infiltrated the compound, Carmelita and the others overheard a few guards talking about a raccoon that was undergoing the harshest of tortures. The pure enjoyment in their voices was similar to that of a spectator watching a car crash during a NASCAR race. It chilled Carmelita to wonder what other horrors Sly has been forced to endure while she, Bentley, and Murray twiddled their thumbs in their despair_._

"Looks like his resistance won't be in vain." Carmelita stated confidently. She bore her glare into The Contessa, impaling the Klaww Gang member with her dagger glistened orbs. "Because I fully intend to break Sly out of here!"

The Contessa was taken aback by her statement. "Sly?" She arched a confused brow, gawking at the beaten down fox woman. "That blasted raccoon is actually here?" She barked.

Now it was Carmelita's turn to be confused. "Uh, yeah!" She stressed, not finding her ignorance amusing. "Of course he's here! I overheard the guards talking! They said Sly was here!"

The Contessa folded her arms and turned her head away in a deeper bewilderment. "I heard nothing of this…" She muttered quietly. Carmelita started to lose confidence in her proclamation. "What could you-" The Contessa's eyes widened when she realized what Carmelita meant. An air of stupidity hovered over Carmelita. She just said something she shouldn't have. _"_OH! I SEE!" She threw her head back in hearty laughter. Carmelita backed away, unnerved by the laughter. "SO YOU HAVEN'T FOUND HIM YET!" She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. "AND HERE I THOUGHT HE WAS LEADING THIS LITTLE RAID!" The Contessa couldn't stop the howling laughter. Her nerves were so rankled for nothing that she had to laugh at herself.

"W-what are you talking about?" Carmelita wavered. "Of course I found Sly! Here's here in this compound!"

The Contessa stretched a hand outward, erecting her claw up in a commanding fashion. "First of all, STOP trying to sound righteous!" She spat with disgust. She had forgotten how much Carmelita valued 90 percent of credit in anything she did. "I know full well you came with that blasted Cooper Gang! No doubt the Hippo and Turtle are close by!" Carmelita swallowed nervously, but took some relief in The Contessa's ignorance of Alauna. At least she could serve as their element of surprise. "As for your precious Cooper," She grinned boastfully, "You have been misinformed, my dear inspector."

"What do you mean?" Carmelita's voice cracked.

"In other words, the Cooper we have is not the one you seek."

Carmelita's eyes flared wide open. "Wait…does that mean…" Her heart dropped into her stomach, "SLY'S NOT HERE?"

"He never was."

**(*-*)**

Despite seeing him standing there – technically on his knees – before her, Alauna was unable to believe what she was looking at. Dressed in Sly's _torn to shambles_ clothing, Slytunkhamen was shackled to the darkened walls of the compound's innermost dungeon. One where no light ever touched the walls. The candle Alauna had barely illuminated the somewhat small space enough for her to see the mossy ground, let alone Slytunkahmen's face. Though…part of her wished she didn't see his face.

Alauna should be happy Slytunkhamen got a chance to see a friendlier face than those who have been torturing him. In fact, she should be overjoyed she could at least stage a rescue for a Cooper in general. But she couldn't quell the overwhelming sadness ebbing in her heart. After a being absent for practically a year, Alauna was looking forward to seeing Sly's goofy face after all that time.

"You know…" Slytunkhamen rumbled drearily; a weak smile on his lips, "If you keep looking at me like that, I'll start to feel guilty."

"R-RIGHT!" Alauna cleared her throat bashfully, "P-please forgive me, sir." She smacked a hand to her forehead. What was she acting so flustered for?

Slytunkhamen chuckled at her pink cheeks, making her blush redden. "Polite, bashful, and charming. The angels have blessed me in my final hours."

Alauna's entire face was heating up. Oh how she hated this. Actually she liked it. Well, no, she was flattered. But it wasn't good. "GRR!" She hated that she was flattered. Slytunkhamen reduced her to a idiotic schoolgirl fussing over the pigheaded rich boy. "Can you excuse me a moment?" She rasped.

"By all means." Slytunkhamen batted his eyes.

"Thank you." Alauna left the candle with Slytunkhamen. She figured he'd like to have a little light before she's whisked away by the guards. Slytunkhamen was transfixed by the flickering flame. Watching the wax melt in the dish. Touching a finger to her communication device, Alauna called ahead to Bentley to give him the…Semi-bad news. She whispered as low as she could. _"_Bentley. Wrong Cooper. It's Slytunkhamen Cooper II." Slytunkahmen's ear twitched hearing his name. _Who is she talking to?_

"_WHAT? DRAT!_" He blurted angrily. "_I should have known this was too easy._"

"How do you want to proceed from here?"

"_Learn what you can and then get out of there. The longer you stay, the more likely it is you'll be discovered._" Alauna was dismayed by the plan. She couldn't just leave Slytunkhamen in that dungeon. Not to be tortured and beaten again. "_I promise we'll come back and save him once we have a plan. But right now Sly is our main priority._"

"You're right of course." She agreed somberly. They knew where Slytunkhamen was, and she was fairly certain he would still be alive when they returned. But abandoning him still did not sit well with her. _I should think of it as abandoning him. Just biding time._ "Have you heard back from Carmelita yet?"

There was a momentary pause on Bentley's end. Alauna felt her stomach tie itself into knots. "_Not yet." _He answered soberly._ "I'll keep you posted."_

Alauna could hear the uncertainty in Bentley's voice. But time was of the essence. "Okay." When she ended the call, she felt herself slipping into the darkness of the room. Like it was consuming her. She began to wonder, _What's happening?_

**(*-*)**

"Put on that disguise, Murray!" Bentley ordered abruptly. "You're going in!"

"YES!" Murray cheered. He fumbled into the back of the van. "OOF!" There was a loud ruckus and grunts as he tried to slip into the tight, yet elastic, uniform. "How does this go on? This has to stretch more! How do they keep these on their head? What's this chin thing for?"

"I'm linking my equipment up with your comlink." Bentley explained through the noise, adamantly prodding away at his holographic computer. "Just listen to my directions and you'll be fine."

"AND…DONE!" The back doors of the van burst open. "WHOA!" Murray toppled from the van. He climbed to his feet, grumbling in discomfort. The Khat – Egyptian head dress – was probably the only thing he felt fit well on him. The lion cloth skirt hugged his legs, and his stomach hung over the waistband. The sandals were a size too small. The wristbands and leather shoulder shawl fit nicely. But if he had to compare, the kimono he wore in Japan was a lot comfier. "ALRIGHT!" He posed, sucking in his gut. "THE MURRAY IS READY TO…UH…" His gut fell over the waistband when he looked up in defeat. "Uh…Bentley…" He scratched his head perplexedly, "How do I get up there?"

"Take the stairs!" Bentley shouted from the window. "I forgot the trampoline."

"AH MAN!" Murray trudged along solemnly. "I hate the stairs."

**(*-*)**

"Ugh…" Alauna sighed exasperatedly. Her shoulders slumped with defeat._ Why is my life always three times more complicated whenever I run into this lot?_

"Not a riveting conversation?"

"Huh?" Alauna glanced toward Slytunkhamen.

"I do not mean to pry or judge." He chortled. "I, too, find myself talking to those who aren't there when I'm pondering."

"No! No!" Alauna shuffled back into the light, embarrassed that Slytunkhamen overheard. "You misunderstand! I wasn't speaking to an imaginary person!" She waved her hands frantically. "Trust me when I say I have yet to completely lose my mind."

"If you say so." The Cooper retorted dubiously. "Might I inquire as to whom it was you were speaking to?"

"A friend of mine. He's waiting outside."

"Uh-huh." Slytunkhamen pondered this idea for a moment. Alauna said she wasn't crazy, so he needed to give her the benefit of the doubt. "And what spirits gave you the ability to speak with those who are not beside you, without aid of a bird or letter?"

Alauna doubted telling him the truth would hurt anything. Seeing as how the last bit of ancestors were let in on the technological secret. "No spirits." She revealed the small little ear wig to the confused raccoon. "This little device here lets me speak with my friend from a distance greater than what I am." Slytunkahmen's eyes blinked with absolute doubt, with hint of skeptical intrigue. In no manner was he amused by this story. Assuming Alauna was kidding. "What?" Alauna asked.

"Madam, you stated you weren't insane." He motioned his head to the ear wig, "That and what you just said sounds pretty insane to me."

Alauna let out a breath of defeat. There was no possible way to help him understand. The most advanced device in this era is a carrier pigeon, and horse drawn carriages. Camels, given where they were. And maybe mud. It's a good thing she was pressed for time. Otherwise Alauna would be spending six months explaining the concept of technology to a technologically inept Cooper. Maybe longer. Instead Alauna just sort of sat silently. Her thoughts began to drift as she gazed upon Slytunkhamen. She was unable to get over how similar he was in appearance to Sly. They could have been twins.

"You're going to make me feel guilty if you keep looking so somber." Slytunkhamen intruded upon her brooding.

"Huh?" Alauna came out of her daze.

Slytunkhamen smirked impishly. "Do smile at least once. It'll be the ray of sunshine I have coveted for a fortnight." Alauna felt the heat return to her cheeks. Her eyes twinkled in awe. He was most definitely Sly's Ancestor. The silver tongue must have been hereditary. "I guess that's better." Slytunkhamen chuckled. "But an aghast blush is not what I had in mind."

"EH! SORRY!" Alauna's mind fell into a haze. The word stupid wrote itself out by her head. She folded her hands into her lap. "Sorry." She bowed her head. "I just…I mean I…ugh…" She mentally cursed herself. "I thought you were someone else." She said outright.

"As did the guards who brought me here." Alauna gawked in confusion. The guards believed they had Sly? "But unlike you and the guards," He winked flirtatiously, "I'm not too disappointed in the face I see."

Alauna furrowed her brow irately. Slytunkhamen felt doom loom over his head. "It would possibly serve you best, sir, to know that flattery will only go so far with me." She got in close. The flames fed the sharp, unnerving gleam in her eyes.

Slytunkhamen swallowed nervously. The rumble in her voice was very ominous for a woman. "Forgive me." He bowed his head. "But all the words I speak bear no pretense." A dry cough erupted from Slytunkhamen. Patches of blood splattered around the candle.

Alauna moved beside him, helping to erect his body straight so he would not choke to death. She massaged her hand tenderly up and down the scared back, soothing the savage heaves while taking care not to reopen clotting wounds. She was caught off guard by the…moist?...lumps her hand ran over. Looking to his back, she gaped sickly. The guards did not exaggerate. Whip lashings covered his entire back. Some deeper and fresher than others. A few were reopened. Were blood not in the way, Alauna knew she would see bone. With each cough itching his throat, blood spilled from Slytunkhamen's wounds.

"Hold on." Alauna reached behind her back. She had a burlap bottle of water, and a small yet thick loaf of bread. "You may thank the guards when you see them."

"I…shall."

Alauna fed him the water first. Slytunkhamen guzzled down the water as if it were his last. The cooling liquid slurping down his parched throat, drizzling over his crusty fur – it was the spring of nirvana. Truly rejuvenating. Slytunkhamen almost felt tears coming to his eyes. He released his mouth from the bottle. Alauna then fed him pieces of the bread. He picked it apart with his mouth, taking it slow. A good idea given his state.

"Is that better?"

"Ha…Very much so." He sighed happily. "Best in days. Thank you, Miss…"

"Alauna Lea Pard."

"Slytunkhamen Cooper II. T'is a pleasure, Lady Lea Pard."

"Please. Call me Alauna."

"Very well," He bowed his head, "Lady Alauna." Alauna rolled her eyes.

"Now," She fed Slytunkhamen more, hoping to make him more lucid, "You were saying something about Sly. How the Guards thought you were him?" She tugged at the clothing. "How would they know to confuse you two?" _Seeing as this type of clothing shouldn't exist._

"That, I'm afraid, is a long story. One I'm sure the guards haven't given you enough time to hear." Alauna was horrified by how astute he was. She almost lost track of the time. She may have had five minutes at the most. "However I can tell you this," He leaned in, wanting to keep his voice down, "He expected a fox woman, turtle, and hippo to be coming for him. He never mentioned anything about a leopardess."

Alauna's mouth gradually opened. She was utterly stunned. Sly _mentioned _Murray, Bentley, and Carmelita. He WAS in Egypt. Slytunkhamen DID meet him. Sly was alive...and hopefully well. She felt success on the horizon of this barren Hell. Now all they need do is find him.

"We haven't been in touch lately. Wait?" If Slytunkhamen was the one incarcerated…then…The message in wall! "That handwriting was yours?"

Slytunkhamen nodded his head. "Yes. Your friend said I should leave a message somewhere. Someone from his time would see it."

"So you know Sly is from the future."

"Given the proof of you standing before me, how can I deny it?" At least that bridge was crossed. Which led Alauna to question his earlier doubt. "However unorthodox it may have sounded, I was curious as to the truth of your friend's story. So when I wrote the message I included strands of the fabric from this…very stylish attire." Slytunkhamen gestured to the tears in the shirt at the bottom. It made sense to Alauna. By putting Sly's shirt in the cracks, it altered the wall drastically, making it appear in the future. The fabric faded of course. "But after I wrote the message, a guard destroyed it trying to bash my head in."

That explained the wall crumbling right before Alauna's eyes. "We need to get you out of here." Alauna proposed anxiously. "I think I may be able to sneak you out of here and-"

"Again I must object." Slytunkhamen interjected humbly. "Rescuing me would complicate the matter."

"What matter?"

"The matter of your friend's hiding place." Alauna gapped. He knew where Sly was. "Look. I can escape anytime I wish." Slytunkhamen closed eyes and vanished in the blink of an eye. Alauna jumped back in shock. She then recalled Sly letting her read the Thievius Raccoonus and Slytunkhamen came up. Slytunkahmen's special technique was invisibility. A Cooper family secret passed down throughout the generations. "I'm in this predicament because your friend and I traded identities on my behest. He's only safe because I will not reveal his whereabouts." He said those words with such confidence, sounding as if he would never tell.

"How long have you been doing this?" Alauna asked apprehensively.

"It's been two weeks since they captured me." Alauna marveled in his resolve. She doubted even Murray could handle torture like that. "I haven't broken then and I won't break now. But unless you wish to save your friend you must heed my instructions to the letter. Am I understood?"

"But-" Slytunkhamen bore his stern gaze into Alauna, bringing her protest to a halt. There was also a note of desperation in his eyes. "Very well." She sighed in defeat. She leaned her ear in and listened carefully.

**(*-*)**

A pair of masked eyes poked from around a corner. Muscular hands grabbed the corner and Murray pulled himself forward. "Huh…uh…hmm…" He grumbled, scanning the hallway. "Not here either." He muttered, stepping into the hall. "Bentley this has to be hallway number 10 and I still haven't found the stairs."

"_Well they have to be somewhere!_" Bentley blurted. "_And you don't have to sneak around. You have a brown belt. You're ranked the same as that captain."_

"Oh yeah!" Murray strutted along, swinging his arms proudly. Three hyenas meandered by him. Murray saluted them with a wink. The hyenas were rather confused but returned the gesture. "SO COOL! But that still doesn't help me find the-" He stopped, shuffled backwards, and right faced "Oh!" He came to an indentation in the wall with an ascending stairwell. "Found 'em." He announced proudly.

"_Great!_" Bentley cheered.

Murray hobbled up the stairs. He clamped his hand to the wall as he veered around a sharp turn, dashing up another flight of stairs. Murray entered into the semi darkened corridor. He held a hand to his nose. Sweat, day old loin cloths, and pipe smoke. One of the most horrible of combinations. Also a notable hint of...Murray noticed flies buzzing around a chamber pot in the corner. "YECK! Bentley, I will never complain about your making oozes in the van again."

"_Noted. What do you see?_"

"Ugly men, pretty women, and some mean looking badgers."

"_That's the right floor_!" Bentley announced excitedly. "_Okay…just follow my instructions and you should find Carmelita. Go straight._"

"Right." Murray took a single step forward…

"HEY! YOU!"

Murray froze. "Oh boy." He turned his head. One of the Honey Badger guards stomped over to him, boring his beady red eyes into the sweating hippo. "H-Hey there!" Murray greeted dumbly. "What's up?"

"The sky! The Ceiling! Are all of your guards so idiotic?"

"HEY!" Murray prodded his finger into the shorter animal's chest, "WATCH YOUR TONE! I'M A CAPTAIN!"

"OF WHAT DIVISION?" The badger countered.

"Uh…Whuh…"

"_G-GIVE ME A SECOND!_" Bentley pleaded. "_I can figure this out!_"

"I don't recognize you!" The Badger…badgered. "Never seen you here or at the palace!"

"I'm new!" Murray laughed nervously. "Just transferred from…Cairo?"

"WE'RE_ IN CAIRO_!" The Badger and Bentley howled.

"Oh." Murray felt himself shrinking by the second. "Um..." _BAM! _Murray sucker punched the badger in the face. The guard fell to the ground unconscious. Murray quickly threw him into a random room. An empty room. Then took off down the hallway. "BENTLEY!" Murray pleaded.

"_TAKE A LEFT, THEN A RIGHT, GO PAST THREE HALLS AND GO LEFT!_"

"GOTCHA!"

**(*-*)**

"HA!" Carmelita flipped into the air and came down with a powerful axe kick. The Contessa thrust a claw forward and caught the foot by the ankle. The inspector hung upside down for a second. She then swung forward, then back, wrenched her body up connected her head with the Contessa's face.

"OW!" The Contessa wailed. She clamped her claws to her nose. Carmelita crouched on the landing. She smirked. Blood trickled from The Contessa's nose. Carmelita launched herself forward and lashed out with a swift kick. The Contessa weaved back. The breeze of the kick glided over her skin as the foot missed. The Contessa then latched her claw to Carmelita's neck, nearly cracking the bones. She whipped Carmelita over her head and threw her across a long dining table. Carmelita crashed through the five plates of food, falling to the floor on the other side. Humus and some type of custard dripped from her clothing.

"AH!" Carmelita screamed. The Contessa landed on the table. Her pike feet splintered the wood. Whatever was left on the wooden surface fell onto the floor. The Contessa whirled around and aimed her backside for Carmelita. Carmelita shifted to a hand and foot. A ball of sticky webbing launched from The Contessa. Carmelita sprang and rolled out of the way. The webbing splattered to the wall. The Contessa followed Carmelita's desperate sprint, relentlessly launching volleys of webbing for the evading officer. Carmelita jumped and rolled over the floor. She ducked behind furniture, threw scattered fruit in the line of fire – without any signs of slowing. Carmelita brilliantly repelled the Contessa's attacks. "HUP!" She grunted, diving for her shock pistol. Her fingers wrapped neatly around the grip. Carmelita positioned herself on one knee and aimed.

The Contessa whipped around, a claw inside her dress. "RAH!" She tossed three sickeningly familiar eggs out. The shells shattered on the ground. A spider emerged from each one. Carmelita hissed through gritted teeth, placing her back to the wall. The spiders scurried across the floor in no time flat. Carmelita took aim. In 1, 2, 3 shots the spiders turned into scorch marks on the brown stone ground. Carmelita whisked her gun up for The Contessa. The Contessa was gone. "But where-"

"SURPRISE!" Carmelita shot her gaze up a second too late. A web made net ensnared Carmelita, pinning her spread eagle to the wall. Shock pistol in all. Carmelita struggled against the webbing. It only worsened her situation. The sticky strings were stronger than ropes. Carmelita could not break free. "Ha-ha-ha…" The Contessa lowered herself down from the ceiling on a small string of web. "You always did look only where the barrel of your gun pointed." She mocked the restrained officer as she meandered closer. "Fitting for your one track mind." Carmelita fought even harder against the strong binds. The tip of The Contessa's claw touched under Carmelita's chin, forcing the trapped inspector to look in the blood red eyes. "What a shame you will not be able to see Sly." She raised her other claw, pointing the sharp to Carmelita's stomach. "But I'll be sure to send you to him in pieces." Carmelita's eyes widened. Her world turned into a blur as she focused on the claw. _This can't be happening! _She screamed to herself. _This isn't happening! _Tears gathered at the corner of her eye. _Sly…_The claw darted for her stomach.

"SLY!"

A small table smacked into The Contessa, slamming her into the wall. The table and The Contessa crumbled to the floor. The Contessa groaned dazedly. "What…?" Carmelita gaped perplexedly.

"Carmelita!" Murray ran to the trapped fox woman. "Don't worry! I gotcha." Murray ripped the webbing from the wall. Carmelita touched to the ground. Murray moved to her side, helping her to her feet. "You okay?"

"Y-Yeah…" She moaned exhaustedly. "I'll be fine."

"NOT FOR LONG!" The Contessa growled rabidly. "My dear Murray you have made your final mistake with me!"

"And you made the first mistake…" Murray picked hoisted another table over his head, "OF EVER ANGERING _THE MURRAY_!"

The Contessa groaned, slapping a claw to her shaking head. "Referring to one's self in the third person is a serious sign of mental deficiency."

Train steam whistled out of Murray's ears. He launched the table. The Contessa scurried forward and thrust her claw out, breaking the table in half. Murray emerged from the broken table and connected a punch to The Contessa's face, sending the woman flying into the wall. Little stones pieced away. Her legs curled.

"RUN!" Murray howled. Carmelita didn't need to be told twice. She and Murray picked themselves up, slammed the door open, and mowed over two guards sprinting madly. "BENTLEY! FIRE UP THE VAN_!_"

"_You got it! Call Alauna and tell her it's time to go!_"

"ON IT!"

"GRAAAH!" The Contessa charged into the hallways, frothing at the mouth. Guards wounded by footprints on their faces groaned dazedly. Contessa picked both up, growling heatedly. "DON'T JUST SIT THERE, YOU FOOLS!" The Contessa kicked them down the hall,. "SOUND THE ALARM! GET AFTER THEM! NONE OF THEM LEAVE THIS PLACE ALIVE!"

**(*-*)**

"Thank you for your assistance." Alauna curtsied to the two guards.

"Our pleasure, My Lady." One of the guards bowed. The other locked the door to the back dungeon. As the hinges were locked in place, Alauna felt a sharp jolt spark in her chest. Leaving Slytunkhamen alone in that dark place was tearing at her. But she had a mission to complete. "If there is anything else we can do-"

"_ALLIE! ALLIE!_" Alauna's earcom screeched.

Alauna slapped her hands to her ears. "OW!" She dropped to her a knee.

"UH! MY LADY!" The guards gasped. They knelt down to her. "Is all well?"

"Grr…" Alauna growled. Her ears were ringing.

"_ALLIE! RUN! TROUBLE!_" Murray panicked. His voice was distorted through the screeches.

"What?" Alauna groaned.

"I asked if you-"

"INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!" A Honey Badger from the second floor howled from down the hall. "WE HAVE INTRUDERS IN THE COMPOUND!" Alauna froze. "BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR A FOX WOMAN, AND A HIPPO DRESSED IN GUARDS GARB!" Alauna gritted her teeth. Fangs biting her lower lip. _Dammit! _Alauna reached under her skirt.

"My Lady, this place is no longer safe!" Guard 2 urged. "You must-" Cold steel sliced the guard's neck. A large graze opened in his neck and he crumbled to the ground dead. Alauna twirled the blade backwards. Her thumb was on the end of a hilt. The steel blade gleamed.

"WHAT!" The badger and remaining guard flinched. Alauna flashed a deadpan glare to her remaining escort. She tore the sides of the skirt, allowing her legs to spread. She shifted into her defensive stance. A gleam as sharp as her blade radiated in the slit pupils. "ATTACK YOU FOOL!" The badger howled. In the blink of an eye Alauna drew her revolver. The guards were taken aback by the weapon. It was most unusual. One, two shots were fired. Spiraling balls of fire hissed through the air. The embers tore the air in a trail of heated fumes. Point blank in their chest were the guards struck. They fell to the ground, never to rise again.

"Hmph!" Alauna sneered her lip, flaring her fangs. "Pathetic!" She puffed the barrel smoke.

"_ALAUNA! YOU THERE?_" Bentley cried over the comlink.

"I'm here! My hearing too!" Alauna spat. Her ears were still ringing from Murray's frantic screams. "Now what's this I hear about trouble?" Alauna questioned, dashing down the corridor.

"_Just get back to the van! And don't use the stairs!_"

"Never thought of it!" Alauna came to a window. Peering out she saw the van three stories down and a few feet to the left. "Tell me you still have that cushion!"

"_Yeah! Why?_"

"HEY YOU! HALT!" A gator guard commanded.

Alauna perched herself on the window. "CATCH ME!"

**(*-*)**

"WAIT! WHAT?!" Bentley peered out of the passenger window. Naturally he looked up and saw what Alauna meant. "NO DON'T!" He pleaded too late. Alauna launched herself from the window. A guard lurched over the edge in an attempt to grab her.

As she fell for the ground, Alauna whipped herself around and fired another ember round. The guard was struck in the head, falling dead in the window. "ANYTIME, BENTLEY!" She urged. The sand was soft, but she would suffer numerous broken bones. Bentley threw himself forward, wrenching the glove compartment open. He pressed a button in hidden beneath papers. The back bumper of the van opened like a garage door. A black rubber mass puffed from the cramped space in the bumper and spat out a circular black mattress. "OOF!" Alauna bounced a couple times, safely landing. A breath of relief exasperated from her whirling chest. "Nice catch." She thanked tiredly. Adrenaline robbed the strength from her legs.

Bentley gritted his teeth, pulling himself over the seat. Alauna winced. He wasn't too happy. "WHAT THE HELL POSSESSED YOU TO JUMP FROM THE WINDOW?" He scolded. Alauna's ears drooped. Angry howls overwhelmed the running van engine. His concern roared from his tone like fire. "WHAT IF I HADN'T CAUGHT YOU?"

"Aw…" Alauna rolled off the rubbery surface, "You wouldn't let me fall to my death." She climbed in through the back doors of the van. "Besides," She sat behind Bentley, smiling giddily, "There wasn't a doubt in my mind you wouldn't catch me."

Bentley's green cheeks flushed bright red. He cleared his throat nervously. The rubber mattress was recalled. "Have-Have you heard from Carmelita or Murray?"

"Before or after Murray blew my ear out?"

"WHOA!" A loud wail was heard from the front of the compound. Followed by volleys of arrows.

"There they are!" Bentley announced.

"Sorry if your stomach can't handle it!" Alauna jumped to the driver's seat. "But I think this calls for that quick getaway you asked for!"

**(*-*)**

"KEEP GOING!" Carmelita roared. Murray rounded three consecutive hallways. Carmelita brought up the rear, firing her shock pistol at the pursuing guards. Gators and Badgers ran over the toppled guards, not losing Carmelita or Murray. A handful of Hyenas cackled victoriously as they cut of their path. Murray dug his feet to a halt. Carmelita grabbed his skirt and dragged him down a random hallway. The rabble of guards squeezed into the corridor, roaring _Halt _as they ran after them.

"Just another left and two more rights and we're out!" Murray announced happily.

"Good to know!" Carmelita whipped around, prancing backwards. Instead of the guards she shot at the lanterns and beams above. Planks of wood tripped two gators onto a hyena. Two hyenas and badgers climbed over them and were struck by falling lanterns, falling unconscious. A gator, badger, and hyena emerged from behind them. "There's no end to these guys!"

Murray tripped over his own feet coming to a turn. Luckily he bounced off the wall and back onto his feet. Daylight was straight ahead. Just a few more steps. A blinding light flushed into his eyes. "WHOA!" Murray came to an abrupt halt. His hands and stomach smacked into a stone railing. Carmelita then crashed into him. They were on the second story balcony. The one with the hangman's noose.

"GOTCHA!" The two gaped in horror to the doorway. The three guards cackled triumphantly with their swords in hand. Carmelita and Murray were trapped. "We know not the sorcery behind that little device you wield, woman," The Gator hissed, "But I know you and your friend can't defeat us all."

"Wanna bet, you walking handbag?" Carmelita hissed. Murray clenched his fingers into tight fists. This was going to be fun for him.

"Why don't you both come quietly?" The Hyena cackled. "It's would save you so much pain." Carmelita and Murray growled through their gritted teeth. Murray tore the hat from his head, ripped the skirt a ways, and got into his fighters stance. Carmelita followed his lead, aiming her pistol.

"MURRAY! CARMELITA!" The two turned their heads to the ground below. Bentley and Alauna waved frantically from the van. The black mattress was tied to the top. "HURRY!" Bentley urged them. "SLY'S WAITING!" Carmelita's eyes widened hearing Sly's name. _He's waiting?_

"GET THEM!" The badger ordered. The three guards charged.

"WELL LET'S GO!" Murray tossed Carmelita over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He climbed to the railing, spreading his feet for the long jump. "GERONIMO!" He wailed, plugging his nose as he took the plunge. Scimitars swiped through the air as they missed. Murray and Carmelita bounced as they landed safely on the roof of the van. "FLOOR IT!" Murray howled.

"GOT IT!" Alauna turned the wheel, floored her foot. The wheels dug up the sand into a massive cloud reaching to the second floor. The guards coughed and choked on the dust. Sand got into their eyes, blinding them for a couple of seconds. The cloud dissipated in the air. The van was gone.

The Contessa sauntered onto the balcony with her claws folded behind her back. She stepped over the coughing guards nonchalantly, ignoring their obvious, pitiful state defeat. Indentations of that ridiculous van the cooper gang sported were bored into the sand, darting straight out of the gorge and into the canyon. "No matter." The Contessa growled. "I know where they are going." A sinister smirk slithered from ear to ear. "And even if I lose them," She glanced to the sky, "My eyes in the sky will alert me to their position."

A shadowed silhouette soared through the sky. A massive pair of wings spanned in the sun's scorching rays.

**Hope you enjoyed it. Later.**


	6. Birds of Prey & Opportunity

**Birds **

**of **

**Prey & Opportunity**

**Here's the next chapter folks. Enjoy.**

**…**

"_What do you mean they escaped?_" An unnervingly shallow grave voice snarled edgily. He spoke in a low rumble. Thunder rumbling before shook the earth.

Contessa folded her claws. She scoffed venomously, turning her back to the shadowed figure on the large wall monitor. "Just as it sounds!" She hissed. She wasn't going to dignify the answered question with a sophisticated response. Her shivering insides dulled her sharp tongue. "Inspector Fox and those two fools of that blasted Cooper Gang escaped! End of story!"

Ominous yellow eyes narrowed, burning her back. A menacing hum brought ice to her shoulders. "_Or perhaps your track record for failure is living up to it's reputation._" The figure calmly shredded The Contessa and her blatant disrespect.

Contessa whipped around, bore heated daggers at the hiding figure. "Get off your high horse! Plan B of my plan is already in motion!" She growled, insulted by the very insinuation she was incompetent. "Falcons are tracking the escaping gang as we speak! No doubt those fools are en route to Cooper's location as we speak! The second they make contact, I will have them all right where I want them!"

The man behind the shadows chuckled derisively at the bold declaration. "_Careful now, Contessa. I'd hate for your planes to blow up as they did in Prague._" He leaned in. Rows of razor sharp teeth shown in a demonic grin. "_Your feathered ally was very descriptive of your failures_."

Contessa slammed a claw on a table. Red wine spilled everywhere. "THAT CRIPPLE IS NO ALLY OF MINE! NOR DO I GIVE ONE IOTA OF CONCERN TOWARD YOUR OPINIONS!" Her rage echoed all throughout the prison. Guards nearby were shivering. Aftershocks of her anger caused pebbles to break from the walls. "I do not see you or him getting your tail feathers out here and helping! If you are as much a genius as you claim, get down here and prove it!"

"_Perhaps another time. One genius accompanying you is enough, I think. I would hate for your self esteem to be in jeopardy with two more added._"

"GRAH!" Contessa sent a fruit bowl flying. It cracked on a button, killing communications. Over ripe pears and tangelos squished, staining priceless fabrics. **…**

The shadowed figure chuckled. The monitor returned to a slot in the ceiling. "She certainly has the fiery temper, doesn't she?"

"Merely because her pride was wounded." A beak bit a chunk out a mango. Tantalizing juice trailed the jaw, sticking to green feathers. After swallowing, a tongue licked up the juice, savoring the sweet, tangy, delectable goodness. "She was one of my more brilliant operatives." A worm poked it's head up. Green feather plucked the worm, dropping it down the throat of the mango's consumer. "My spice plans would never have last beyond phase three were it not for her."

"Then she better produce swift, satisfying results soon, _Arpeggio._ Or it will be you I _pluck _from the operation."

Arpeggio chuckled smugly, biting into his savory mango again. Idle threats raised no fear in the bird's heart. "Ye of little faith. Patience. The prize we seek is nearly upon us."

**…**

"Blasted birds! I should be sinking my fangs in them and draining every last drop of fluids!" Contessa pressed a button so hard she came close to shattering it. "Listen well, pests! Either locate Cooper and his blasted gang before sundown, or I swear I will mummify you myself and watch the scarabs devour you."

"_Chill out! Yeesh! We see the van now._"

"Good! Intercept only when Cooper is found."

"_Do not tell us how to do our jobs, you foul git! We will retrieve them with ease!_"

"You had better!" Contessa ended the conversations. She grew tired of the constant disrespect. By the gods of Egypt she will be respected. She stormed off, shoving guards out of her path, then burst into Slytunkhamen's cell.

"Why hello, Madam Vizier. Come to keep me company?" A claw swatted him across the face. It ripped a deep graze, nearly perforating the cheek. "I take that as a no..." He grunted.

"I grow tired of your games, rodent." Contessa pressed a foot to his head, drawing fresh blood from the skull. "Tell me where the Cooper is hiding, and perhaps I will spare your miserable life."

"Never..." He strained against the drilling foot. "Do with me what you will! I shall not betray my family!" He struggled, twisting his hateful, defiant glare up at her. "Not to you, or Pharaoh Pardelaytra!"

"Then I have no choice." She surprised Slytunkhamen by removing her foot. "When my infantry fails, I will have to bring your _family _to me." Slytunkhamen despised the thought of being used as bait. Alauna's capture was imminent because of him. This harpy will not get Sly as well. "But first..." Contessa revealed a small mechanical millipede, "A little something for the road." She pinned Slytunkhamen to the floor by his back. She set the millipede to his head. It scurried along. From the stem of the brain to the forehead it lied. It's tiny, sharp pronged legs pierced the skull. Millions of sharp burning pinches split his skull in half. Slytunkhamen cried out in agony. The Millipede hummed vibrating, glowing orange amid the darkness. He moaned loudly, short shrill cries of pain ringing out. The Contessa watched the fool writhe. "The Coopers will fall. Their entire bloodline will become nothing but a mockery."

**…**

**Flashback**

_"The Pharaoh would see me hung for embarrassing him. But for one reason or the other, The Lady Vizier wants your friend." Slytunkhamen warmed Alauna forebodingly. "If your friend is my descendant, killing me would end the Cooper line. But that is not what she wanted."_

_"What does she want?" Alauna shuddered to ask. _

_"I honestly do not know. All I know is that wretch wishes to get her claws on him." He regretted to inform her. "Numerous times while she tortured me, she would stop randomly, shouting at someone." He put a finger in his ear. "A finger always in her ear. After meeting Sly, you - I determined she must be from the future as well. You must keep him from her at all costs. Find him and take him back to your time."_

_"He will demand that we come for you."_

_"Then you must dissuade him!" Slytunkhamen hollered. Alauna moved back. "I know the look of revenge, Lady Alauna! The woman burned with it! She hungered for revenge like wolves hunger for flesh! She will destroy Sly if she get's him!" He grabbed her hand, pulling her close, forcing Alauna to understand the desperation of his request. "Please! I beg you! Find Sly! Take him back home!"_

**Flashback End**

Miles of dropping down steep dunes, launching leagues across gaps, and evading herds of wild horses, Egypt's desert leveled the van's journey, offering a smooth ride a considerable way. A cloud of kicked up sand was stolen by high desert winds. The Cooper Van narrowly escaped being swept away by a hazardous sandstorm. The sun was gradually setting beyond the mountains opposite of the van's path. Blue skies shrouded by a gorgeous orange. Bentley took the opportunity to create a virtual map, using the sun's position to map their geological position. Murray had taken the wheel a few hours ago. Carmelita rode beside him, acting as a second set of eyes in case more unfriendly faces decided to appear. Alauna aided Bentley by drawing a paper map in case the technology was rendered useless.

The long drive gave everyone a pause for thought. Murray, Bentley, and Carmelita more than Alauna. Previous time travelling weighed suffocatingly upon them enough. Losing Sly in the process. Now here they were again. Dragged centuries before their time, only to find Time was being toyed with for personal gain. The whole matter was a nightmare that never seemed to want to end.

The Contessa wormed her way to the BC era. Another time machine was born into the world. Unfortunately Bentley's logic refused to accept she arrived here on her own. To worsen matters wasn't his goal, but to gain a foothold in what to expect. The Contessa is clever. Her intelligence in strategy rivals Bentley's. Regardless there is in no way she was smart enough to build a time machine. Let alone journey here of her volition. No. Though it sickened Bentley to amplify the reality of it - The Contessa has a team.

"So The Contessa is the Lady Vizier." Alauna shook her head, laughing in disbelief. She touched a hand irritably to her forehead. "This is mutating into one Hell of a rescue operation."

"Another time machine..." Bentley moaned solemnly. "My best friend is in jeopardy...and it's my fault."

"Bentley..." Alauna reached out.

"No time to think like that!" Carmelita encouraged him. Alauna shied back. "This is everyone's fault. If we weren't so preoccupied wallowing in misery, we might have gotten wind of something like this sooner. The only thing we can do now is move forward." Alauna was moved. Carmelita was 's plans instigated the first race between time traveling the last time. Since then he's carried a hefty burden. The team can't afford to have the brains distracted. Everyone needed to be on their game. "We need to find a way to get The Contessa out this era and back to ours."

"How could she possibly know Sly ended up here?" Murray asked, demanding this mystery be made clear. "More importantly, how did she get out of jail?"

Alauna knew the answer to that one. "A year after you defeated her, she was released on good behavior." The van went dead silent. "I know. The Bounty on her head reiterated the same befuddlement. A year after that she was allowed to return to Italy. A summer home she purchased before her husband _died_."

"But that still doesn't explain how she knew to come after Sly here." Murray stressed.

"All of that will have to come later!" Bentley roared. He was focused on validating sense on their situation. Phase one of that goal entailed a map. Knowledge of their surroundings. "Okay so Slytunkhamen told you to head northeast...?" Bentley rotated the virtual map, creating an indicator for the prison, and landmarks they've past since their hasty departure. The prison rested southwest...a mountain formation several leagues beyond it.

Alauna touched where she guesstimated the waypoints. "Northeast to the capital…" Apprehension gripped her heart. They've been driving for - going on - two hours now. Either they missed the capital or it was WAAAY out of the way. "Then head east until the sand dries, and look for the ocean breeze in the heat. If we wind up at the Sphinx, we've gone to far."

"An ocean breeze in the middle of the desert?" Even Murray knew that didn't make a lick of sense.

"Tell me there's more than that to go on!" Carmelita barked, growing annoyed by the endless sight of sand, cacti, and wild horses and camels.

Alauna understood her anger. Deserts were never her favorites either. An endless sea of dunes, oppressive heat, and unrelenting dry winds. Dying by stroke was not her idea of going out with a bang. "He said we will pass by two small villages," Bentley mapped those when they whisked by ages ago, "A merchant's market," Carmelita invested in exotic oils, "Followed by an oasis shelter built for the weary traveller." Where Murray bought every snack he could find. "The last landmark is to cross over a narrow bridge amid two gaping canyons filled with cobras." Bentley's stomach gurgled thinking about how close they came to falling in. "When we see the gates of the capital city - Melistan - we should stay a mile away and proceed east."

Bentley's fingers drove 300 miles per second on his keyboard, jotting down every footnote and guide possible to help him keep mind of their surroundings. A fully depicted map of ancient Egypt was one small mountain range from being completed. "I've mapped the Capital." Bentley announced mostly to himself, lost deep in thought. A curious hum gathered the attention of his friends. Everyone could hear the gears grinding in that little green head of his. "We should stop in the city." He said aloud.

"What?!" Carmelita boomed, breaking the turtle from his thoughts. "We can't make any stops! We have to save Sly!"

"I agree with you! Sly is our main priority!"

"Then why would you ask us to make a pit stop?"

"So that we know who it is that we're dealing with!" He roared at the top of his lungs. Carmelita was stunned to silence. Murray stayed focused on the road, but was startled by Bentley's thunderous roar. Alauna swallowed nervously. "Sly's important! You of all people do not need to remind me! But you just said because of Sly being our main focus we were blind sided! CONTESSA'S PRESENCE IS THE BIGGEST BLIND SIDE I'VE EVER SEEN!"

"Bentley, calm down!" Alauna pleaded sternly. "Carmelita meant nothing!"

"If she's going to constantly question every plan I have, then she can take her happy ass home! I won't let her pighead stop me from saving my friend!"

"EX-_CUSE _ME! TURTLE-"

"The Pharaoh may be an ally from the future." Alauna added swiftly and loud enough for Carmelita to halt the approaching verbal assault. "For things to be running as smoothly as they are, he must be in on it." Carmelita grunted heatedly. She leaned on the open window sill, glaring at the scenery. "For all we know The Pharaoh and Contessa could be tracking the van. We'd be leading them to Sly." Carmelita's ears dropped somberly. It wasn't unheard of for Interpol to track the Cooper Van. Enemies of the Cooper Gang undoubtedly thought to do the exact same thing.

"What if he's not from the future?" Murray asked, catching onto her roose. Carmelita lowered her gaze to the speeding sand, considering the numerous possibilities. "What if he's just going along with her like those Dodo's working for Grizz?"

Carmelita lost track of the conversation. A black mass passed by the sideview mirror. "Hm?"

"Even Grizz had someone from present day close by lending him a hand." Bentley concurred. Carmelita weaved in her seat, searching for the mass she saw. She thought she was hallucinating. Then it moved like a flash across the sky. Her eyes widened. "I'm sure The Contessa has a partner helping her out."

"UH, you'd be right!" Carmelita charged her shock pistol, ducking low in her seat. "We've got a bogey on our tail."

Alauna sprang to the back doors, pressing her back below the window. She twirled her guns. The clip was full. Her thumbs rolled temperature dials on the grip's spine, heating the bullets to 25%. She peered to the fading desert, keeping low enough to not be noticed from afar. Her brow furrowed. Two bird shaped shadows glided over the sand. Murray must have been driving a hundred plus miles. The distance those birds were closing was rapidly increasing each second. Alauna shot her gaze up. She winced, flinching back. Rays of Egypt's sunset beamed as powerfully as a midday sun.

"Did you see them?"

"The blasted sun's in my eyes! Can't see who we're up against!" She blinked rapidly, clearing the dots. Clever birds those were. Hiding in the sun's light. Nature. The ultimate defense and offense. "Unfortunately Carmelita is still correct. Two birds are hot on our tail and gaining."

Murray peered to the sideview mirror. He screamed, veering past a rock he narrowly missed, then went back to spotting for birds. The sun was as blinding as it was hot. Mountains and hills miles behind them outlines engulfed in shadow. Murray snapped on his goggles. The sun's glares dimmed enough. Silhouettes crossed over and under one another. Wide wingspans swayed on the desert winds. Crimson yellow eyes shine within the hue.

"I SEE THEM!" Murray tossed his goggles to Alauna. "THEY'RE GAINING FAST!" The goggles were a loose fit. Alauna managed. So long as they worked.

The UV rays died down. Alauna found the skulking birds. "I see them." Their terrible eyes boring holes in the van, shredding it's riders. Talons sharp as swords clapped, hungering to rip the van apart. "They're moving closer as the sun lowers. But I can see them closing the distance. What's this?" Light reflected off the bodies. "Remember how we agreed the future was helping Contessa?"

"Yeah. Why?" Bentley dreaded asking.

"These birds are metal."

"Metal?!" Bentley cried. He threw up his binocucom and zoomed in. "HOLY CHRISTMAS! THEY ARE FALCONS! METAL FALCONS!"

"WHO THE HECK HAS METAL FALCONS?" Carmelita snarled.

"I don't know, and I don't care!" Alauna holstered her guns.

"What are you doing?" Carmelita asked.

"Those avians have the advantage. If we fight them out here we could lose our only means of surviving the desert." The van. She climbed halfway to the front. Carmelita shuffled to the window. "We need to set the stage, bring them to us." Vast desert dampered Alauna's spirits. Open area, no means for quick evasion or cover. A getaway was not an option. Malistan remained hidden beyond the desert's horizon. They were sitting dorks if those falcons realized they were onto them.

"What's that? Over there?" Carmelita announced anxiously. Alauna crawled on her. Towers of solid rock stood erect a mere half mile away. Connecting arches withering by years of grueling sandstorms. Large dips and gaps. A small valley of earth protruding rock. Holes large enough to be seen afar Alauna an idea.

"MURRAY! HANG A RIGHT!"

Murray snapped the wheel. The van slid before darting straight for the valley. He and Carmelita acted casually for the skyview eyes while Alauna relayed her plan. For the plan to work, the falcons needed to be drawn in without incident. They attack beforehand and they were going to risk losing the van. Carmelita pretended not to notice the falcons hovering.

"They're watching us, Alauna…" She grew antsy.

"Let them." Alauna strapped on her weapons. "Birds are as unhealthily curious as we felines." She licked her lips hungrily. "I will savor plucking their feathers." Bentley stocked his bombs and darts. Murray's grip ground the wheel. Carmelita readied her pistol.

**...**

"Where on earth are they going?" Falcon two snapped impatiently. Hydraulics pumping flight to the whirring joints. Focused air jets kept the heavy steel iron aloft. "They drive hundreds of miles past nowhere, now they're heading for a pile of rocks?"

"Perhaps they know we are following them?" Falcon one sniggered, snapping his talons.

"And Carmelita not shooting us down? Not a chance."

"True. That shock pistol harpy shows very little control over her itchy trigger finger." Falcon one's head shook the distraction to the back of his mind. The van was nearing the grouped rock formations. "We'll lose them if we keep squawking like this. I don't need Contessa nagging anymore than she thinks she has too."

"I agree. I always did hate taking orders from that eight legged wretch."

**...**

The first arch was crossed. Shadows of the falcons crossed the arch. Overpaths and pillars blocked the sun. Clouds of dust hugged to the pillars. Already the area changed. As if the desert were spanned leagues away. A stark pressure grabbed Murray and Bentley. Carmelita and Alauna - ravenous excitement clung to those pillars. Narrow passages squeezed them in. Like trees - canopies blinding the ground from the circling falcons.

"Bentley...I don't like this..." Murray moaned, hugging the wheel. Massive holes The whirr of the van's engine echoed, reverberating as demonic growls. The falcons passed overhead, looping the skies, stalking them like vultures. Murray was tempted to bail out of the van.

"Keep it together..." Bentley also sensed the hungry watch of their pursuers. Nevertheless he needed to keep his head. If Murray sees him calm, he'll likely follow suit. Can't have the drive crashing.

A thick cloud of dust the van created offered insufficient, but good enough, cover. Bentley's computers weeded out the falcons' signals. Using the circumference they flew, calculating the radius the van drove inside...

"Whenever you two are ready." He spoke in the comlink.

**...**

Falcon One scanned the clouded surface. Falcon Two rounded the valley, keeping watch at all possible exits should the van choose try to escape. Tacky blue paint and shawdy flames stuck out like sore thumbs. He'd see them in a crowd of blue flamed camels. The sun stepped below the mountain's horizon. An orange sky faded beyond a navy hue. Light allowing the Falcons to see past the dust vanished. Steadily visual was lost. The dust cloud grew thicker every time the van sharply rounded a spire.

"GRR! MURRAY! I hated his driving!" Falcon One hissed.

Following the new wave of dust made it simple to track where the van was heading. Murray was driving erratically. Heading one direction then driving back in the opposite direction. The twin falcons wished to rely on the wind to remove the obstacle. Unfortunately the wind was dying down with the setting sun.

Falcon Two snarled venomously. "I'm going in lower."

"Stay sharp. This could be a trap."

"Pfft! Please! None of them are half the thieves they once were without Sly." Falcon Two dove.

Falcon One hovered, watching his comrade disappear beneath the dust. "Proud fool." He sighed mournfully - albeit sarcastic. "And we're supposed to be a collection of geniuses." Unbeknownst to the Falcon, Carmelita was aiming a fully charged shock pistol right at the his back.

**...**

The dust was thicker than Falcon Two realized. He could barely see two feet in front of him. Narrowly did he miss the spire bodies. He rose and dove past inconveniently suspended arches. He flew low, wanting to escape the obstacles. He would have made a messy landing had he not stopped the last second.

"Dammit!" His mighty wings only kicked up more dust. He ascended slowly, taking care not to hit the rocks closing around him. "Grr...stupid rocks! Should have stayed up top." Alauna shuffled silently in one of the holes, crouching to the ledge. Falcon One was just below her. Her Revolvers were charged to 25% again. The Falcon blinked twice. Emerald green lenses made the smoke nonexistent. Clear line of sight to the ground, pillars, and a van retreating to the open desert. Falcon Two laughed victoriously. "There you are." It's beak slacked open. Golden particles gathered in the throat. "Die-"

An ear piercing screech was followed by a loud crash. Falcon One lied in the sand in shambles, surges of electricity spasming the malfunctioning limbs. Exposed wires dangling barely held the bird together. "What the Hell happened?"

"I believe it is called an ambush!" Falcon Two veered to the voice. He gasped in dismay. Twin revolvers summoned searing heat to their compact barrels. A blue leopardess wrapped her finger to the trigger. "Happy day."

"You're-" The sound barrier kindled. Two shots struck the Falcon's forehead. Knit, sharp brow antenna broke apart. The metal monstrosity went down...down...crashing into the other grounded bird.

"Birds of prey plucked." She blew smoke off her revolver barrels. Satisfied with a job well done, Alauna crawled for the exit. A loud hiss caught her ear. The dust was dispersing. Strong puffs of steam broke the smoke screen. "Huh?" Alauna put on her binocucom. "This isn't good." Talons screeching as they curled, beaks jiggling, bulging eyes flashing on and off - The birds were still kicking. Or so she thought.

The hydraulics and engines whirred to a sober halt. Eyes dimmed off, limbs reduced to scrap metal. Power shut down completely. Pent up steam released inner chamber locks. Double hatch doors parted the chests. Alauna hit record on the binocucom. Bentley and the others will want to see what they were up against. Figures dressed in black combat suits evacuated the birds. Masks and protective goggles obscured their faces, and the smoke screen Murray created prevented her from studying any outlining features. Zooming in closer, she saw one pull out a flare gun.

"Time to go!" She ran as if death was on her heels. It might as well be. She put her butt to the ground and rode a coarse, steep slide to the awaiting van. She wasted no time jumping inside. "GET THE LEAD OUT! THEY HAVE A FLARE GUN!" Murray stepped on the gas, and they were back on the road.

**…**

"Well THAT was...a colossal...failure!" The figure holding the flare gun coughed. Dust weaseled into his lungs. "What the heck happened to you?"

"ME! What happened to you?" The taller figure retorted, not taking all the blame for the failed mission. "You were the first to crash and burn!"

"Carmelita got the drop on me!" He launched a flare in the sky. Neon red lit up the evening sky. "She damaged the hydraulic pipes!"

The tall figure faced away from his colleague. "Turns out the group manages just fine without Sly."

"Well it wasn't Sly that brought you down!"

"No...no it wasn't." The tall figure rasped soberly. Peering to the hole the leopardess hid in, a warm, delightful joy filled his heart. "It would appear the Cooper Gang dabbles in Bounty Hunting as well."

**...**

The Cooper Gang's drive felt remarkably smoother now that the skies were clear. Night embraced the desert, summoning the nocturnal creatures to the surface. Scorching hot sand was cooled by the moon's radiant glow. Bentley reviewed the video Alauna caught moments before retreating. Carmelita hovered over them, wanting to get a good look at the attackers. Murray was a little upset because he was designated driver. He cleared the irritation by remembering that Sly was counting on them. Murray must have chugged his fifth energy drink, forcing himself to stay awake. The van was climbing a steep soft sanded hill. More like a mountain.

As the video progressed - Bentley cleaning up the haze as it went along - Alauna had them watch closely. It came to the part where steam disrupted the dust, then the hatches opened. Carmelita and Bentley leaned in, eyes widened astonished. Their previous hypothesis was proven correct. The Contessa had present day helpers. Fully capable pilots, no less. Murray's back ached at the news. An omen that began the last time travelling venture. It signaled him to watch his back for_ people that didn't belong._

"Things are now more complicated." Bentley announced, not caring that he stated the obvious. He closed the computer. A knot in his stomach nauseated him. He didn't need to say it for the others to know. There were more falcons where those came from.

"Think they followed us from the prison?" Carmelita wondered.

"My instruments would have detected the slightest hint of technology if they were at the prison." Bentley cupped his chin, rumbling pensively. "No. They must have come from somewhere close by. The hydraulic fluid they use would surely-" _LIGHT BULB!_ Inspiration struck the turtle, "THE HYDRAULICS!"

Murray screamed. The van jumped in response. Alauna and Carmelita jumped, frightened, into each other's lap. "WHAT ABOUT THEM?" The trio hollered.

Bentley materialized his fancy holographic computer. Those fingers of his danced up, down, and sideways on that keyboard. "And...DONE!" A special program he installed began running. "In a couple hours, my patented _gas and fluid douser program _will isolate and locate the source of the hydraulic fluid."

Murray, Carmelita, and Alauna echoed with the most bewildered of expressions, "Patented gas and fluid douser program?"

"Basically it weeds out the largest source of oil based fuel sources and locks onto it. Like gasoline or hydraulic fluid."

"Uh, Bentley," Murray raised his hand, wanting to interject, "Gas hasn't been invented yet."

"Exactly!" Murray wasn't following. To be honest, Carmelita and Alauna were missing the big picture. Bentley, on the other hand, was beaming. "Hydraulic fluid not only powered the flapping, it was expelled from those jets keeping the Falcons in the air."

"OH!" Alauna gasped. Before she went on, there was the matter of Carmelita hugging her. She shoved the fox off and returned to Bentley. "There's a trail!" Her tail wagged.

"PRECISELY!" He pressed her nose. "If there's even the tiniest bit of hydraulic fluid, my scanners will pick up on it and follow it to the source."

"And that helps us how?" Carmelita massaged her aching back, waiting to be amazed. "Will it tell you how many more falcons there are?"

"No." Bentley answered, feeling a little down that he hadn't thought of that. "But I will be able to track the falcons if there are anymore." The three were so engrossed in their conversation they didn't even notice Murray stopped the van atop the monstrous dune. He downed the lights.

"Hey guys!" Murray was glued in amazement to the road ahead. "I don't mean to interrupt. But you've gotta see this." Carmelita crawled to her seat. Alauna scooped up Bentley and joined them. When they followed Murray's gaze, jaws hit the ground.

Mountainous dunes, overlooking the miles of open desert that dared not be crossed, collected to form a slope spanning an inconceivable distance in either direction. From afar it was no more than an obstacle. Up close, it was a barrier. The same barrier poured loose grains of sand to the. Rays of luminescent moon light reflected off the sand, watching it tumble and slide only to come to a halt at the foot of thick, aged stone. One coarse block became two, then three, then a hundred, and then a thousand. Until hundreds of thousands unyielding block transformed into an impressive and intimidating wall.

"This may not be as easy as I made it sound." Bentley admitted. He stifled the urge to vomit.

Slytunkhamen never mentioned the city was military grade fortress. Bentley was amazed beyond being able to use calculus. Four monstrous walls - god knows how tall, thick, or wide - entrapped a metropolis. The dune was high enough they could see into the city. Torches scattered about the city outline the basic structure of the city. The wall was like a square of flickering fire. Pretty calm, signs of poverty - nothing to suggest neglect. Then again it was the middle of the night. In the daylight it will probably look completely different.

Glowing lights uniformly separated rested in the very back of the city. Rising and falling, ignited brighter than any of the torches providing light to the streets. Carmelita had to zoom in on her binocucom in order to make it out, but ultimately her assumption was right. Spires scaling to the sky, walls of immaculate condition, the only building that stood out more than a sore thumb. The Palace.

Alauna climbed to the roof of the van. Using the binocucom she scanned the wall. "I sincerely doubt we'll get in there tonight." She switched to night vision. "There...ten heavily armed guards on each wall. Not to mention wall mounted crossbows loaded with pikes."

"Even if we make it to the wall unseen," Carmelita hummed, sensing the failure should they charge in head on, "There's the matter of that gate being our only entrance." She meant the heavily barred gate serving as the entrance.

"Nuh-uh…" Bentley tapped his chin. "With places this big there's always two or more ways in. But that'll have to come later." He opened the laptop and reviewed the map Alauna helped him draw. "We need to head east from here. Until the sand dries. Right?"

Alauna nodded. "And a breeze amid the desert heat."

"What's that mean, anyway?" Carmelita scratched her head.

"We'll find out when we get there." Murray started up the van. He backed up down the hill, keeping the lights off so not to rouse curious eyes. "You guys should get some rest. Who knows how long it'll take the sand to dry up."

"Murray, you shouldn't drive the whole night." Alauna urged him.

"I won't." He turned and start to head east. "Just until the sand dries up." Alauna and Bentley smirked, shaking their heads. They couldn't help but laugh. They took him up on their offer anyway. Alauna took the front seat this time. She nestled in the seat and quickly fell asleep. Bentley shut down his chair and computers, and retreated to his shell. A small pain pressed Carmelita's heart. There was a loop forming and she wasn't in it. An officer amongst criminals. Can't be anymore out of the loop than that.

**...**

Agent One was swatted across the face by a crab claw. A desk was crushed as he hit the floor. Splinters poking through the fabric into his arms. The Contessa rasped venomously, burning her agent alive with her Hellish glare. Saliva dripped down her gangs like venom. She hungered to chew her miserable underlings apart.

"You pathetic worms!" The Contessa howled at the top of her lungs. "I ask you to do ONE THING!" Contessa kicked agent two in the stomach, sending him flying into the wall. "AND YOU DARE COME BACK FAILURES!" Agent One pushed up on his hands. Searing pain split the cheek in white hot pain. Cupping the cheek her winced. A fresh wound slit the cheek. Warm blood touch his palm.

"I would not label our venture a failure." Agent Two argued obstinately. After all the heavy lifting they had to do, he was going to fight back. He staggered to his feet, pressing his hands to the wall for balance. "There is a new development." The Contessa's brow arched. "She is a new member, but an old acquaintance of the Cooper Gang's. She's been their friend for the past six going on seven years."

"Who is this member? And how is she associated?" The Contessa demanded.

"Her name is Alauna. Alauna Lea Parde." The Contessa's eyes widened.

"Who?" Agent One snapped. His cheek throbbed when he spoke.

"A bounty hunter of dangerous caliber. Remarkable aim, excellent sword play, and clever to boot."

"Of all the improbable, inconceivable, and inconveniences!" The Contessa roared, swatting a cup away. "How small is this world?"

"You know her?" The Injured Agent was surprised by The Contessa's amazement.

"That brat has been a pain in my backside ever since my Interpol days!" She reached around, caressing a tender spot on her back. "We exchanged blows several times, leaving our mark upon the other." The Contessa seemed to drift in her mind, regressing to a sour moment in her life. The wounded agents grew intrigued by her vulnerable state. It held hope that the stoic, infallible Countess of Death had a weakness. "Give me a good reason why I shouldn't feed you to the Jackals!"

"Urgh!" Agent One ignored the wound on his cheek and jumped to his feet. "Because if it wasn't for me you'd be rotting in that prison of yours!"

"I was paroled, ignoramus!"

"Parole is not the same as freedom! Interpol strapped those bracelets to your bony wrists by the time I arrived."

The Contessa threw up a claw, "Next reason!" She commanded.

"Because Arpeggio and the boss will keelhaul your old ass!" Agent Two barked. The Contessa shoved a sharp foot in his neck, pressing the bone to the point of breaking.

"Do you truly think I fear higher ups that do not reveal themselves?"

"That is a marvelous denotement, Contessa old girl!" The Contessa went stiff as a statue hearing the British accent. Feared constricted her breath. Her heart pounded against her chest. When she finally managed to twist her back she dropped her foot and practically jumped out of her skin, staggering to the wall. A colorful parrot smiled menacingly at Contessa from the confines of a walking bird cage. "Good day, Lady Contessa." The two agents grinned behind their masks.

"A-Arpeggio! When-when did you-"

"Who do you think answered the flare?" He retorted snarkily. The Contessa hissed under her breath, curling inward at the presence of the bird. Any other time she would be shouting profanities at him, telling him to cease his inane hovering. However, until recent events, she's been biting her tongue. "Besides, My Dear, you should be a little more courteous and grateful to our friends here. Especially you…" The injured figure removed his hood. Long blond hair, wrapped in a black hair tie, fell neatly past the middle back. A pair of glasses added aesthetic to a pair of beady black eyes. A proud grin stretched lavender cheeks, and wriggled purple ears, "Penelope."

**To be continued.**


	7. Breeze in The Desert

**Breeze**

**in**

**The Desert**

**Moving on…**

…

Calculating the moon's position, accounting for the hours difference in the time zone - Nine at night crept up on the weary Cooper Gang. Murray's been driving non stop for the past three hours. Alauna and Bentley offered to take the wheel. He declined and insisted they get some sleep. Something about the two brains needing their rest. Brawn needed rest too. Impossible. Determination, and the fact that he downed ten more energy drinks, kept him going for the better part of those three hours. He'd be on the receiving end of amazed, yet disturbed, glances if everyone wasn't dead asleep. But he could feel the rush taking it's toll. He was crashing hard. Bags under the eyes, exhaustion numbing his muscles, the world blurring in and out. Little bumps jolted him awake briefly then sleep would envelop him again. It didn't help that the sand was soft. The van lost traction several times. While they were driving, it felt like the wheels were spinning in place only barely managing to get the van moving. Even at a hundred miles per hour the van must have been pushing 70.

"Murray..." He jerked awake. Alauna flinched, curling to the window. "Sorry."

"No...no..." He yawned, leaning back and forth in the driver's seat. "Isss ole..." He could barely keep his eyes open.

Alauna lightly turned the wheel, weaving the van past a boulder, three cacti, and what looked like ancient Egyptian hobos. She sighed in relief. Low snores vibrated her ear. Murray was fast asleep, hands still on the wheel. "Murray! Wake up!" She pinched his arm.

"YOUCH!" He jumped awake, jerking the van. Alauna threw her hands to the wheel, steadying the rampant ride. Thankfully Bentley and Carmelita didn't stir a wink. She released a relieved breath. She starting to recall how hazardous to her health the Cooper Gang is. Murray rubbed his tired eyes. He was too stubborn to admit how tired he was.

Alauna put a hand to his shoulder, gingerly coaxing him to relinquish the driver's seat. "Come on. Pull over." She urged tenderly, massaging his back. "Let me drive. You get some rest. We'll need you if anyone shows up." Murray had no strength left to argue. He pulled over, let Alauna in the driver's seat, and snuggled up in the passenger's seat. Alauna put a blanket over him, one over Carmelita, and the last on Bentley. _Hm. He always was cute when he slept. _She was gentle going into drive, then gradually picked up the speed.

Boulders passed by as the van sped through the desert. Three hyena guards emerged, grinning animally. One of the hyenas reached behind his back, pulling out a small walkie.

"We have them." He cackled. "They are heading for the Ruined Village."

…

"Roger that." Contessa intercepted their message. "Continue to follow them until they have the raccoon."

"_Yes, My Lady._" The Contessa silenced the radio. _The Ruined Village. _She didn't understand why the Cooper Gang would be heading there. Or why Cooper would hideout there. _It's so barren cacti steer clear._ Her train of thought came to a grinding halt when the bangings of a hammer bounced off the stone walls.

Penelope was hard at work fixing the Mecha-Falcons. Carmelita and Alauna left them shambled messes. Nothing too serious for the one Carmelita shot. Couple of gears knocked loose and exposed wiring on one. The one Alauna hit, however, left much to be done. The antenna and internal processor needed to be fixed or else it would never fly again.

The Contessa hated waiting for those birds to be fixed, but they were vital for their advantage to remain in the lead. She ignored the banging and began thinking on something that had been bothering her. _Why didn't the Cooper's take Slytunkhamen? _Clearly they arrived for Sly. But to not save the ancestor? _Perhaps he asked them not to._ An unnerving hum came from Arpeggio who decided to extend his stay in The Contessa's Prison. A prison she's claimed as her secondary palace.

Arpeggio was perched to the arm of a plush chair, drumming colorful feathers pensively on the tip of his beak. The mechanical cage he took pleasuring strolling about in was shut down in the corner. It was unlike his old cage. It wasn't even a cage. From the shoulders down it was just an avian exoskeleton. The back was shielded by firm metal plating. A four rocket engines seen in slots. Two downward, the others upward. Long hind legs, talons sharp enough to rip steal, a rib cage of finely edged blades, smooth edge - razor sharp - tail feathers, wings so wide and sharp they would only be fined grinding on rock, and a rocket pack on his back. Half an up sitting dome served as the head where Arpeggio prided being.

"Alauna...Lea Parde…" The name rolled off his tongue, like a taste he had long forgotten.

"You know her?" The Contessa remarked, creeping up on the distracted bird.

Arpeggio cleared his throat, erecting straight with his wings behind his back. "No-not...personally." He steadied his speech. "I know of her exploits. She is quite impressive for one so young."

The Contessa scoffed. "Impressive? Try a pain! That pathetic wretch has stolen suspects rightfully mine to line her pockets!"

"Have I mentioned I do not favor pots calling kettles black?"

"I don't care what you like! I don't even care that you've reared your ugly beak!" She bared her fangs hatefully, "I do not fear a revived CORPSE!"

"Technically - according to chrono-logics - I was never a corpse." Penelope strutted over, wrapping her arms lovingly around his small frame. "Thanks to the lovely Ms. Mouse here," He stroked her cheek, caressing soft locks of her lush hair, "My untimely demise was halted. So, as far as history is concerned, I am not a corpse. Least of all a revived one. Just a misbegotten flightless joke of fate."

The Contessa whipped around, leaning on the window sill overseeing the gorge's yard. "Joke is right." She whispered.

…

On the roof of the prison, overlooking the not remotely glorious view of the dry gorge, Penelope's associate hid in the solitude. Pulling off his full head mask, long, sheen, black hair rippled in the blowing wind. Hands tenderly reached in the chest of the suit, producing a silver wing pendant. Frayed edges showed where the sister half of the wing was broken. Traces of gold hid in the broken silver.

Tears trickled down a lavender cheek. "Allie…"

…

The time was falling on midnight. The moon was high, lighting up the vast desert, granting wolves the pleasure to sing to the night's magnificence. Alauna was glad everyone was sleeping peacefully, it gave her a chance to think.

Slytunkhamen was desperate - begging on his knees - for Alauna to find Sly and get him back to his own time. It made Alauna think, why would he want Sly to leave so urgently. Did he know what was really going on? Or could it be Slytunkhamen understands what Sly's presence in the past could mean?

As Alauna slipped further into deductions and theories, the van's hind swerved all of a sudden. Alauna veered the wheel hard, fighting to keep it under control. The jerking jolted Murray, Bentley, and Carmelita awake. The van's hind spun one way. Alauna turned the wheel opposite. Then it would sway the other. Murray, Carmelita, and Bentley were starting to get nauseatingly dizzy. Still half asleep they braced themselves, wanting to stop the world from spinning. Alauna managed to straightened out the van. The wheels sluggish drag found solid momentum, throwing the van into overdrive. It picked up speed almost immediately. 70 miles climbed to 100 then jumped to 200. Alauna and Murray was sucked into the seat. Carmelita and Bentley were thrown back, hitting the back doors hard.

"HIT THE BRAKES!" Carmelita shrieked. Alauna slammed them as hard as she could.

The van thrust forward, tossing Murray and Bentley. Loose sand pebbles slid the van wildly. An ear piercing screech hurt Alauna and Carmelita's ears. A tall slab of rock was approaching fast. Turning the van would total it. Everyone closed their eyes. The impact was coming. A protruding rock stopped a wheel. The van tipped forward then dropped. The engines died with a hiss. Alauna and Company collapsed, hearts beating harder than a drum. Anymore close vehicular calls and they were going to die from adrenaline induced heart attacks.

"Ugh...huh...huh..." Carmelita heaved, her whole body reduced to jelly by the adrenaline. She clawed her way to the front seats, grabbing a fistful of Alauna's hair as she pulled to her knees. Alauna was numb to hair pulls. She was numb period at the moment. Carmelita grasped her face, wrenching it sideways so she could see how enraged she was. "You...will...never drive...again."

"Deal."

Bentley shoved his chair out the back. He groaned dazed. Small tingles actually prickled his legs. He toppled head first into his chair, legs hanging over the back. Stars circled his head. "Fifth January...Topsy Turvy...day."

Alauna popped the door open. She threw the seatbelt off and tossed herself to the hard ground. She coughed dryly. Cool air filled her clenched lungs. Carmelita flipped onto her butt. Fresh relief soothed her rattling nerves. Solid, stagnate ground beneath her. The shock pistol left her hip.

Murray wobbled woozily, spinning on the ball of his foot, then collapsing. The night sky greeting his blurred vision. "Oh man. That was fun." He pat the ground. "Wish the ground was softer though."

Bentley's wheelchair remotely strolled to the down hippo's side. Bentley himself was still upside down, too rankled by rapidly pulsing nerves. Rubber wheels grounded grains of sand into the dried, cracked rock. "Interesting…" Bentley hummed. Retracing the van's trail, he discovered where the sand gradually solidified into coarse rock. Facing where the wind blew, dry heat graced his cheeks. "Alauna...Alauna!"

"HUH!" Her ears darted up. She twisted to Bentley.

"What did Slytunkhamen tell you? About finding Sly?"

"Oh. Um…" Maybe she shouldn't drive anymore. Her brain cells were depleting from all the close calls. "Go to palace...head north somewhere...go east…" She mentally summarized the conversation, recalling the more crucial information. "OH YEAH! Drive until the sand dries and look for the cool breeze in the desert heat!"

Carmelita knocked on the ground. "That's the driest sand I've ever seen." She licked a finger and held it to the air. "And that definitely is desert air."

"AWESOME!" Murray sprang to his feet. "Now we just need to look for a breeze and we'll find Sly." Suddenly unbearably hot air struck the hippo. A shower of sweat spilled down his brow. "Ugh...man. It's hot." He tugged at his collar.

Carmelita scanned the area. It boggled her mind. "Why would Slytunkhamen have a hideout so far out in the middle of nowhere?" Not in any direction was there signs of decent civilization. "Wouldn't it be hard to seek help or get necessary provisions?"

"Yes, but worth it to remain incognito." Alauna explained. "By living far away, Slytunkhamen can plan in secret and not fear being found by guards."

"Speaking from experience?" Carmelita raised a brow."

Alauna shrugged her hands, grinning impishly, "I have been known to camp 30 miles from my prospective target." Carmelita made a mental note. Alauna didn't care. She'd never be able to catch her if she was 3o feet away. She ran a foot over the loose grains. "But I'm certain Slytunkhamen has a means to make these living arrangement feasible. I doubt even he wandered hours through the desert for a few coins."

"We'll sort that out later." Bentley scoured the surface, searching for signs of...people. "Slytunkhamen guided us out here for a reason. There must be a clue to where Sly might be hiding."

"I think I found it." Murray announced.

"The breeze in the desert?"

"No," Murray was bracing a hand to the wall the van nearly crashed into, motioning for the others to come over, "The place Sly is hiding." The others peered around the wall.

Sticks and poles, in no better shape than used firewood, had difficulty remaining staked to the dried land. Cloth they fought to keep aloft dragged them down, weighing them closer to falling like other supports. The innocuous of dry breezes teased the tattered, flimsy cloth. The slightest of ripples unraveled inner weavings. Crumbling, dusty stone, worn and beaten by the trials of time, barely managing to maintain it's shape, combined to form decimated, small structures sticking out like the sorest of thumbs. Wooden beams steadily growing unable to keep half the buildings up were crippling. Buildings. That's a kind term. More like bits of clay formed by children and destroyed for sport.

"Whoa…" The group gawked, struck by astonishment and depression.

It was a village. Or what was left of it. Walking further in, the sound of the sand grinding beneath their boots - and wheels - sent goose bumps scaling their spines, bringing hairs on their neck to stand on end. Isolation gripped them. Eerie silence made their ears ring. Heartbroken moans of the wind passed through hollowed holes.

Carefully Murray peered inside the opened buildings. No breezes, but plenty of musty aromas. Bentley ran a Cooper Gene scan. The scan he created for Sly when locating Salim. Unfortunately the abundance of sand - and including the possibility of sandstorms - interfered. He couldn't get a read. Carmelita and Alauna scoured the village, keeping their eyes peered for stragglers. Sly was important. They can't risk hyenas or any guards finding them.

"What is this place?" Carmelita clenched a shaking hand to her pounding chest. "It's so…" She'd say dead, but feared Death himself would rear his ugly head.

"I believe this is the Ruined Village." Alauna answered hushedly.

"Ruined Village?" Murray asked.

Alauna glided the tips of her fingers over a broken wall, history flowing through her. It made her sigh sadly. "There is a tale many a Anthropologist, Linguist, and Historian come across. The first time I heard the story my heart broke."

**Story**

_A village home to alchemists and practitioners of unorthodox medicines - accumulated when a lone herbalist stumbled upon by accident - existed during this Era. It was named the Ruined Village by those who feared Alchemy and 'Modern' Medicine. _

_Rumors spread that they were ruining ways of life. By ruin, greedy nobles who profited from swindling poor, impressionable people found these more powerful and efficient ways damning to their social standing and status. The alchemists and herbalists were cast out miles - days - from civilization. No food, water, means of travel - nothing. Told, "Ruin life where there is none!"_

_So they left without incident. Even without nothing they flourished. This village was once alive, dancing. But even happiness days from avarice and fear can still fall victim to those who are miserable._

**Story end**

Carmelita swallowed, scared to ask. "What...what happened?"

Alauna's ears dropped. Tears glossed her eyes. "The Pharaoh had this village raided. Abducted everyone…" She turned away, "I'm sure you can surmise what happened next." Carmelita was sorry she asked. "Since then no one's come here. I'd wager its been forgotten. In the sense it wasn't thought of obsessively 24/7." Her sadness immediately shifted to unbridled joy, "The perfect place for an ambush."

"Huh?" Bentley and Murray's head tilted.

Alauna's pupils slit. She twirled a gun, spun the dial to 10%, aimed for a sheet just to the left and fired. The fiery bullet burned through. A deathly scream quaked the village. The bullet extinguished on a nearby rock. A hyena collapsed dead. A smoking hole searing his gut.. Murray, Carmelita, and Bentley were stunned. Carmelita gulped a nervous lump. Alauna twisted around, fortifying her stance, drawing her second revolver. She lowered the power to five. No sense in wasting good fire on insects. "I highly recommend the rest of you come out." Alauna's sharply glowering eyes demonically reflected the moon. "If I am forced to come search for you," She crooned, licking her lips with a devilish grin, "Let me assure you death by compact fire will be grandest of mercy I offer."

Carmelita faced another direction, aiming her pistol. Murray readied his fists. Bentley had bombs and darts primed to fire. That same eerie silence surrounded them. The hiss of the previously fired bullet crackled the air. One guard means another. Which means…

"We've been followed." Bentley growled.

"Not surprising." Murray rumbled silently. "What are the odds Contessa knows?"

"Too high for my taste." Carmelita snarled. She noticed a walkie near the dead hyena's head. "Look!" Carmelita screamed. "He has a walkie."

"_You fool!_" The Contessa's voice knotted Carmelita."_I said not engage until-_" Carmelita shot the walkie.

…

"Hello! HELLO!" The Contessa beat on the communication's device. Nothing but static responded to her shouts...and bangs. She ended up breaking the antenna. The speaker popped out. "DAMMIT!"

"Great!" Penelope threw her wrench and hands up in defeat. "Now I'll half to fix that."

"Nevermind your toys, you fool!" The Contessa stretched a commanding claw, "Find that maked friend of yours and get to the Ruined Village! I want the Cooper Gang, Inspector Fox, and Lea Parde groveling at my feet by morning!"

"Well luckily for you I ordered in a few more falcons from base." Penelope reported scathingly. "The boys are waiting outside and we'll be to that village within the hour."

"Make it half." The COntessa warned. "Because if you fail again, I will feed you to the scarabs!" Penelope rolled her eyes and left. No point in arguing with her.

"Contessa, dear, you really should be more courteous to the girl." Arpeggio chortled. "Threatening superiors does not increase productivity."

"She is not my superior!"

"Oh but she is." Arpeggio's lowering tone unnerved The Contessa. A dark shadow cast over his brow, intensifying his glare as he waddled closer to her. "Were it not for Penelope, you would never have escaped Italy." The Contessa gritted her teeth, glancing away shamefully. Small talons found her shoulder. A wing forced her head to meet Arpeggio. Deep cerulean eyes, anger amplified by the monocle, pierced the very recesses of her soul. "Predicting a full invasion is a difficult thing. Especially when Tear Gas blinds you. How fortuitous she arrived seconds before, isn't it?"

…

The walkie crackled with exposed electricity. Carmelita hissed. "That's not good! We need to hurry before-"

"It's too late." Bentley panicked. Carmelita gaped at him. Bentley's teeth grit, venomous hisses of defeat fuming. "He's already called in to Contessa! She knows we're here! We need to hurry before more guards come." He looked to Alauna. "Wrap this up quickly."

"Let them come…" Alauna's finger itched. Her bangs hid the hatred spilling from her eyes. "I'll kill anyone who gets in the way of finding Sly."

Bentley and Murray took their leave, scattering throughout the village. Carmelita covered Alauna's back, keeping her eyes peeled for attackers. Suddenly Alauna aimed at her. Carmelita moved to return fire. Alauna fire twice. Pure heat whisked past either side of Carmelita's head. Two screams diverted Carmelita's gaze. Two hyenas dropped. One more reared his ugly head to the right. Alauna shot him in the neck. Carmelita found herself growing more scared of Alauna. Whose whole demeanor changed. She wondered, _Why aren't Murray or Bentley bothered?_ They weren't even phased.

Rocks shuffling spiked Alauna's ears. She waited a moment. Footsteps hustled rapidly. Cloth flipped, rocks stumbled, heated breaths panted. Alauna bared her fangs. "I warned you not make me look for you!" Alauna fired through a window. Another hyena fell. A hole in his head. He gasped, seeing Alauna aim for him. She shot him in the head. "There's one more." A silhouette rose to a rooftop. The gleam of a blade was pinched between finger. Alauna twirled one gun and aimed for that roof. "Happy day!" The hyena froze. Alauna shot the knife out of his hand. The Hyena slipped, falling to his butt terrified. Alauna narrowed her eyes. "You've irritated me."

"No!" A shot fired. The Hyena's nose was blown clean off. He hit the ground behind the building, falling limp for vultures to pick at.

Alauna blew the steam off her barrels. "Faith and begorrah." Her eyes - her entire person - returned to normal. She was Alauna again. "What pitiful sentries."

Carmelita's mouth hung open, eyes quivering horrifyingly. Murray and Bentley simply went on their way looking for that ridiculous breeze in the unbearable heat. It was incomprehensible. How calm they were. Then Carmelita remembered. The Cooper Gang has known Alauna for over six years. Been on jobs with her. They've seen her _shifts _before. Carmelita's only dealt with Alauna a few number of times. This was a terrifying first experience.

"If you're frightened now, Carmelita," Alauna smirked darkly, adoring Carmelita's glued apprehension, "You should see me when I'm serious."

Carmelita staggered, caught off guard. "I...I'm not frightened! Don't flatter yourself!" She flinched when Alauna moved close to her face, her smirk widening.

"I never flatter, Ms. Fox." She leaned in closer, edging the fox back. "I speak from my heart at all times."

…

Murray turned several walls, only finding more wastrels of what was once a great village. He felt his heart breaking the further in he went. Dolls with their arms ripped, broken pottery.

"Glad I was born in the future." Murray groaned. Overwhelmed he sat on a circular brick slab in the middle of the village. He took in the village, wishing he could have seen it before the people were chased away. "Being hated for who you are. And to think I've been called immature for liking to fight." He leaned back on his hands, tilting his head to the sky. "Paris doesn't have this many stars." He closed his eyes. Cool air traveled his waist to his face. "And this cool breeze feels great. Wait a minute."_ Cool breeze._ Murray stood. It grew hot all of a sudden. "Where did that breeze come from?" Murray floated his hands around, searching for the breeze. It came so suddenly. "Huh?" The closer he moved to the rock he sat on, the cooler the air. Streams of air graced his fingers. Kneeling down he pressed his face to the rock. He wasn't crazy. A blast of air was escaping. "GUYS! GUYS! I FOUND IT! I FOUND THE BREEZE!"

…

Bentley's wheelchair hands hoisted a cauldron over his head. Spiders and scarabs scurried for hiding. "Ew." A spider lowered on a thin line from the cauldron, crawled down Bentley's chair, and disappeared beneath a rock. Bentley shuddered. "I wonder if Alauna still hates bugs."

"GUYS! GUYS! I FOUND IT!" Bentley faced Murray's screaming.

…

"I FOUND THE BREEZE!" Alauna and Carmelita glanced upward hearing him scream. "I FOUND THE BREEZE IN THE DESERT!" The two girls gasped and ran for him.

…

Murray pushed the top half of the rock with all his might, digging little trenches in the ground. The trio came up behind him, curious of the screaming. "The breeze is coming from the rock!" He strained. "HELP ME!" Alauna went beside him. Carmelita and Bentley pulled from the other side. Caked rock chipped. The rock jerked a centimeter each push. Alauna jabbed her short sword in the appearing crease, loosening more rock. The rock twisted a ways off. A powerful gust of air starled Murray. Immense strength filled his muscles and he eventually pushed the rock off, revealing a dried up well. Wind howled from the well. A cool breeze. Just as Slytunkhamen said.

"Wow…" Murray basked in the wind. "This feels great."

"How is this possible?" Alauna beamed amazed.

"There must be tunnels down there." Bentley surmised. "Narrow tunnels increase wind speed, combine the darkness, make for a cool wind effect."

"That's nice, Bentley." Carmelita remarked sarcastically. "But none of that tells us if Sly's down there." Carmelita climbed to the ledge. "Come on!" She jumped.

"No! Wait!" Bentley grabbed her by the skirt too late. Carmelita dropped in the hole, dragging Bentley with her.

"HEY! WAIT FOR ME!" Murray cannonballed. Alauna shrugged, plugged her nose, and jumped in.

The sudden drop curved to a slope. What looked like rough rock was actually smooth. Moisture clung to the clothing. Carmelita tumbled headfirst, sliding on her stomach, riding the walls, crying out as speed caught up. Bentley rode the spiraling tunnel, rolling over the ceiling and walls. Murray and Alauna bounced off every sharp turn, hitting each other and whatever else was there painfully hard.

"SOMEBODY STOP THIS CRAZY RIDE!" Carmelita screamed, shielding her eyes.

…

A dark hole was nestled a ways off the ground in a damp cave.

"AHH!"

"GYAH!"

"WHOA!"

"AWESOME!"

_CRASH! SPLASH! _The tunnel ride came to a startling end, leaving the Cooper Gang flying and crash landing roughly to stable, steady ground. However there was the feeling they were still being tossed around like salad. Carmelita groaned, rolling of a stack of hay. Bentley sprouted from broken pottery. Alauna lied defeated in a water trough. Murray floated in a reservoir, pumping water like a fountain.

"Ugh...no more please…" Alauna begged, slipping to the neck in the water. She shot a growl at Carmelita who was picking hay out of her hair. "How the Bloody Hell did you make detective when you're such a moron?"

"Excuse me, Pussycat!" Carmelita stormed over, shaking loose straggling hay. "You got something you wanna say?"

"More than something!" Alauna pulled out of the trough, dripping wet. "First you allow yourself to be caught by Contessa, now you're jumping headfirst into tunnels you hold no inkling of what's at the bottom!"

"All those years of being shot at must have dulled your head! Slytunkhamen led us here! Why would there be traps?"

"Not traps, Harpy! Scarabs!" She pointed toward the surface. "The holes in those rocks we used were made by a type of scarab called Miner Beetles! These too!" Small to large holes moaned with condensed wind. Bentley wondered where they all led. "They eat rock as well as flesh!"

"Well," Carmelita spread her arms sardonically, kicking the ground, "No scarabs! So what's your problem?"

"My problem, INSPECTOR, is you're going to get us killed if you don't keep your head on straight!"

"Don't talk me about my head, HUNTER! You're the one with a bipolar disorder!"

"A bipolar disorder that saved their lives countless times!" Murray and Bentley kept far back this time. But waved back when Alauna pointed to them. "I don't have the luxury of wasting brain cells arguing with a single minded witch! I'm here for Sly! Not so you can try and amend the mistake YOU made!" Carmelita bit her tongue, growling in the back of her throat. "So where do we go from here?" She asked the other two.

"We go down." Bentley directed them to the wide spiraling, narrow ledge leading further down. None of them noticed at first, but the cave was _bright _for being underground. Tarches hung on either side of the wall. Peering down, Bentley saw several torches lighting the way. "Come on." Bentley took the lead. The ledge, luckily, was wide enough for his chair. Alauna followed, then Murray, and Carmelita brought up the rear.

…

A mouse nibbled on a small, dehydrated rice grain. Silently a cobra crept behind it. As it bared its fangs three winged shadows passed overhead. The cobra and mouse paused, then retreated beneath rocks. Three mechanical falcons circled the Ruined Village. Ropes were tossed over. Gator and Badger guards, one hand to the ropes, flew down. Their feet like thunder touching down.

"There is the horseless wagon." A gator whispered. He placed a hand to the hood. "Very warm. They have not been gone long." He knew nothing of the marvel of ingenuity. But if a bonfire is still hot the ignitor was not far.

"Where could they have gone?" One of the badgers hummed. Another badger motioned for the others to look ahead. A circular slab rested against an old well. Approaching they felt a powerful breeze. "Could this be…"

"Only one way to find out." Sharp teeth split the gator's lips in a cruel grin.

…

The Cooper Gang must have walked half a mile deeper. Very unsettling given they were walking several hundred feet below the surface. Scarabs, snakes, mole-rats - the creatures which created the massive holes allowing pleasant breezes of air to flow were both astounded and frightening. There was a sense of impending doom the further down they went. Being buried alive isn't how any of them planned to depart the world.

Coming to the end of the slope, a black tunnel greeted the weary gang. Bentley switched on headlights on the arms of his chair. The tunnel was empty, but the group remained on guard. Rabid mole-rats could jump out at them any second. Hugging either side the four skulked the cave. Alauna drew her short blade. Carmelita had her shock pistol ready. Murray tightened his fists.

Two torches were lit at the end of the tunnel. Enough ambient light to see the rest of the way. Bentley switched off the lights and picked up the pace. When they finally made it to the exit, the four peered around the corners. They were struck with awe. The narrow tunnel spanned into a massive inner cave. Complete with connected ceiling and floor spikes, underwater reservoirs, and some form of fungus on the walls. But that wasn't what amazed them. The huge holes that had been sparking their interest paled to the structures they were ogling. Solid blocks of stone finely crafted into numerous hovels escalating atop one another. A few were accessible by slopes and ledges. Clearly the cave village was man made. Tool marks riddled the walls extensively.

"This...is...amazing…" Alauna subconsciously walked in, lost in her daydream, "Nothing in the record books ever spoke of a village beneath the surface." She took out her binocucom and took several photos. She made sure to include photos of the pottery and connected tunnels. She giggled excitedly. "I'll go down in history for sure!"

"Glad to see you're excited." Bentley mocked her playfully.

"Do forgive me!" Alauna touched her blushing cheek. "It's the minor historian within me."

Shuffling in one of the hovels silenced Alauna's giggling. Bentley, Murray, and Carmelita were completely still. Not so much as a breath escaped they were on pins and needles. An orange light was moving irregularly inside the hovel in front of them. Carmelita's heart skipped a beat. She wanted to reach for her pistol. A shadow moved across the wall. Someone was inside. No one moved, but they stood ready to draw their weapons. The worn wooden door popped loose. Hinges creaked chillingly. Bentley and Alauna swallowed. Murray was sweating. A sandaled foot stepped out. Dirt scuffed an egyptian skirt. Matted, unkempt grey fur hiding emaciated skin entered the light. Alauna and Murray opened their mouths and widened their eyes. A ringtail wagged off dust while a scrawny arm wiped dirt from a black patch of facial hair. Bentley and Carmelita felt the world halt. Tears forming to the corners of their eyes. When the figure noticed them, he only smiled as if nothing were out of place.

"Sly…?" Carmelita's voice cracked.

Sly raised a hand, waving with the widest, warmest smile he could muster with sunken cheeks. "Hey guys. What took you so long?"


End file.
